I'll See You Again
by MiniJen
Summary: "A feeling in the heart that becomes stronger over time...Young love will turn to deep affection..." A new take on Link and a female Sheik and the relationship the game never showed us. Inspired by the game and the manga.
1. Stars

_I'll See You Again…_

**Chapter 1: Stars**

The lofty glow moon seemed to give off the impression of sunshine to the world below it. The midnight black heavens were dotted with what the eye could only see as a small sparkling dots that were more commonly known as stars. Topping off the luminous sky scape, was a soft warm wind that gently passed through the field. Yet it could only go so far. Towards the far east, the dark and heavy clouds that had dwelled over the fallen castle of Hyrule for the past seven years, loomed as thick as ever.

A lone figure strode silently and swiftly through the field, only briefly glancing towards the general direction of the old town miles in the distance. She was no longer sensitive to it however; she had far too many other things on her mind.

Like the night, she was mysterious and unknown. To the few who did know her, her identity was Sheik, a survivor of the near extinct Sheikah tribe. The Sheikah were a people who lived in the shadows, who, at one time, had given aid to the Hylian royal family. But those days had long since passed, ever since what the Sheikah called "the Great Betrayal". The betrayal had happened long before Sheik's time with events that had no real concern to her. Besides, the royal family had been disposed of seven years ago. Or so everyone thought.

_How cruel, _Sheik thought, as she lifted her chin towards the late night sky. _That the world above still thrives while the world below is suffering in agony_. Like many of Sheik's poetic notions, this was one she wouldn't dare say out loud. At least, not at the present moment. Not while she pledged allegiance to Ganondorf, the evil king who had conquered Hyrule all those years ago. Since his wicked reign began, the Gerudo King from the desert had spread his darkness throughout the land, polluting it with his vile monsters, using the power of the Triforce he had stolen from the Sacred Realm. The Sacred Realm's opening had been an accident. A young hero from the forest, in trying to prevent Ganondorf from conquering Hyrule, had mistakenly pulled the Master Sword from the Temple of Time on that day seven years ago, opening the door to the Sacred Realm.

Sheik knew all of this, and she knew well just how evil Ganondorf was. She also knew that his tyranny had to be stopped, but it was a feat she could not hope to accomplish. That was the Hero of Time's work. Yet as the years past and the hope for the long awaited hero's appearance grew dim, Sheik decided that instead of doing nothing at all, she would play the defensive. She enlisted in Ganondorf's forces to spy on him to, at the very least, ease the pain that innocent people were feeling under his rule. But as time progressed, even Ganondorf took notice of Sheik for her incredible fighting skills and stealth techniques. Eventually, Sheik worked her way up the ranks to eventually joining Ganondorf's most elite and trusted mercenaries, which consisted of Twinrova, two powerful sorceress sisters, Nabooru, one of the leading members of the Gerudo clan, and several other skilled Gerudos and Stalfos.

Among these, Sheik was considered the outcast, partly because she was not a Gerudo, but mostly because so little was known about her. For Sheik, this was just fine. After all, her mission was not to make friends; it was to take down Ganondorf.

She had been able to fool Ganondorf for close to three years at the time. To his face, she would pledge loyalty, but when she was alone, she would curse his name. But in what was perhaps the most satisfying part of her feigned alliance with the Gerudo king was that fact that she was helping to undo his evil workmanship behind his back. During her time in Ganondorf's army, she had been able to rescue countless civilians and villages from certain death by warning them of Ganondorf's approaching troops and helping them escape. Sheik had been playing both sides, but she knew where her true loyalty lied. And it was not with the King of Evil.

At the moment, Sheik had been given leave from the army for a few days. But it wasn't like she really had anywhere to go. Sheik filled her free time with only two things: traveling and music. The first was simply a matter of wandering to any place that caught her interest at the moment, the other was much deeper. Sheik considered herself to be a minstrel, scouring the world, playing music and learning new tunes (and information) as she went. Sheik was known for her skills on the harp, an instrument that she had been able to play as long as she could remember. With her bandaged fingers, the female Sheikah could pluck out an entire beautiful melody with multiple verses with ease.

As Sheik walked, she pulled out her golden harp and strummed a few notes thoughtfully. She wasn't really carving a song, but she played for the sake of ridding the darkened silence of the still night. She sighed underneath the cloth she wore over her face to conceal her identity. _When will this waking nightmare ever end? _She mused in her head. _If the Hero of Time does not appear soon, Hyrule's dark fate is certainly secured. _

Continuing a melancholy stream of notes, Sheik came to a stop to watch the sudden disappearance of the stars that marked the soon arrival of a new day. The sky became a pale shade of gray and the moon drifted into the shadows. Sheik knew that she would have to report to Ganondorf soon, but she decided to soak in these last few hours where she didn't have to pretend she cared for her enemy.

Suddenly, as the sun began to peak over the distant hills before her, a strong feeling overcame the young Sheikah. A feeling of renewed hope, followed by a set of instinctive instructions: _go to the Temple of Time_. Immediately, Sheik questioned her own thoughts. _The Temple of Time? No one has touched the place in years! What could possibly be there?_ Yet, all the same, she would have to pass by the temple in order to get to Ganondorf's castle so what would the harm be in seeing if anything was happening? After all, instincts hardly ever failed the survivor of the Sheikahs.


	2. Sleep

**Chapter 2: Sleep**

It was a place that was like a dream itself. If anything within it could be clearly defined, it would be what appeared to be blue, iridescent water flowing down its wall-like sides. In the center of this fabled space, surrounded by other smaller platforms, was a special platform, where the seals of the seven sages of legend encircled the mark of the sacred Triforce.

This place, a place untouched by man, was only known as the Chamber of Sages, the only place within the Sacred Realm, the resting place of the Triforce, that was left intact after Ganondorf got his hands on the ancient relic of Hyrule. This was not by mere chance however; the chamber had been spared for one reason and one reason alone: to contain the spirit of the hero destined to rescue Hyrule for Ganondorf's dark rule.

The hero, locked in a state of slumber, had remained in a dreamless sleep for seven years. Not that he had known it, nor of the destruction and desolation that had revenged upon the land in his absence.

The hero, known as Link, had entered this place by what could be assumed as an unfortunate accident but fate certainly had its hand on both him and the land of Hyrule on that fateful day seven years ago. After collecting the three Spiritual Stones, the keys to entering the secret realm, Link had witnessed Ganondorf's takeover and resolved to make sure the Triforce did not fall into his hands. Collaborating with Hyrule's young princess, Zelda, Link raced to the Temple of Time, where the Door of Time was located and played a special song on the treasure of the royal family, the Ocarina of Time, which opened the door to the sacred realm. Beyond the Door of Time, laid the powerful Master Sword, a weapon so powerful, as Link had heard, that it was the very sword of evil's bane.

At the time, Link had been but a young child, who had spent his entire life in Kokiri Forest, living his entire life as one of the forest children, the Kokiri, who never grow up. Collecting the three Spiritual Stones alone had been quite a task for the child, bestowed upon him by the Great Deku Tree, and he had gladly accepted. He had always known he had been set apart from his fellow Kokiri, and his destiny had been made clear at that moment. Or so he had thought…

However when Link pulled the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time, instead of giving it the power to defeat Ganondorf and rescue Hyrule, it sealed his spirit away in the Sacred Realm, making him powerless to stop the Guredo King as he entered the realm and stole the Triforce for himself.

Oblivious to him, those seven years passed by slowly yet surely. And Hyrule, the peaceful land he had explored and came to know only a few days before he fell into slumber, had greatly changed. But that wasn't the only thing that had changed…

On that day, Hyrule's salvation would finally be awakened…

Though normally an uneventful and peaceful place, the Chamber of Sages suddenly began to shake violently. And, all once, it stopped. A bright light flashed and two figures appeared on the platform of the Sages. One was the Sage of Light, Rauru, who had been the sole protector of the Chamber of Sages, even as Ganondorf invaded the Sacred Realm. The other, was the young hero himself, although not as he remembered himself.

Link could hear his name being called as he lay in the center of the platform. As he could suddenly feel a sense of being once again, he opened his eyes slowly.

"Link," Rauru called out to him softly. Link wiped the heavy sleep from his eyes and gave a small yawn taking in his surreal surroundings. The only familiar thing in this place was his guardian fairy, Navi. His wandering eyes stopped when he came to the Sage of Light.

"Who are you? Where am I?" He asked in a deep voice that surprised himself.

"I am Rauru, the Sage of Light and you, Link, are in the Chamber of Sages located within the Sacred Realm," the elderly Sage said.

"What?" Link said, rising to his feet, his mind still hazy with drowsiness. "How did that happen? The last thing I remember is coming into the Temple of Time and pulling out the Master Sword. How did I get here?"

"I know you must be confused," Rauru said patiently. "Allow me to explain. Ages ago, we ancient sages built the Temple of Time as a safeguard for the entrance to the Sacred Realm. The Chamber of Sages, where we are now, is in the Temple of Light, located in the heart of the Sacred Realm. It is the last place untouched by Ganondorf's evil in the Sacred Realm. The Master Sword, the evil destroying sword you pulled out of the Pedestal of Time, was the final key to entering the Sacred Realm."

"Then that means…" Link came to the awful realization of what had happened. By pulling the Master Sword from the pedestal, he had allowed Ganondorf access to the Sacred Realm, the very thing he and Princess Zelda had tried to prevent.

"Do not be alarmed, Link," Rauru said consolingly. "Look at yourself!"

"What?" Link looked down at himself and gasped in shock. Instead of being the stocky child he had been when he pulled the Master Sword, he was now a tall and dashing young man. The hero was speechless at this change.

"Wow Link!" Navi proclaimed in her usual high pitched tone. "You're big now! You've grown up!"

"Yes," Link said, still in utter disbelief. "But how?"

"The Master Sword is a sacred blade which those with evil hearts may never touch," Rauru intervened. "Only the one worthy of being the 'Hero of Time' can pull it from its pedestal."

"Wait, so that means, I'm the Hero of Time?" Link asked.

"When you pulled the sword, you were too young to be the Hero of Time," Rauru said. "Therefore your spirit was sealed away here for the past seven years, in a state of slumber of sorts. However, now that you are old enough, you can finally awaken as the long-awaited Hero of Time!"

"Seven years?" Link said to himself. All of this news was almost too much for him to take at once. Things were happening too fast for his liking. If seven years had truly past, what else aside from his body had changed? At the same time though, Link knew what he had to do. It had been him who had caused all of this and it would be him who would end it.

"Well," Rauru said after giving Link some time to let all of this soak in. "Do you understand your destiny, Hero of Time?"

Link simply nodded pulling the Master Sword from its stealth. If it was his destiny to defeat Ganondorf, he would fully accept it. Especially now that he was old enough and strong enough to fight him.

"Very good," Rauru said. "But remember, though you opened the Door of Time in the name of peace, the evil Guredo King of thieves, Ganondorf, used it to enter the Sacred Realm. He obtained the Triforce from the Temple of Light, and using its great power, he became the King of Evil… His dark power radiated from the Temple in Hyrule and in seven short years, Hyrule turned from the peaceful and beautiful land it once was to a world of monsters. My power, even now, has very little influence to change this, even here. Yet hope still shines. The power of the five other sages remains. When their power is awakened, the sages seals will contain enough power to contain all of the evil power within this realm. I, Rauru, am one of these sages. Your power to fight together with the sages is what makes you the Hero of Time! The Hero of Time, chosen to liberate Hyrule by the Master Sword! Link… please keep my spirit with you and find the power of the other sages and add their might to your own! Take this," Rauru held out a golden medallion to Link. "It's the Light Medallion, the signification that my power is now added unto your own."

Link took the medallion into his hand, and instantly his strength increased. "I will do everything I can to free Hyrule from Ganondorf's power."

"Thank you, Hero of Time," Rauru nodded. "One final thing. I'm about to send you back to the Temple of Time, so that you can find the other sages. When you first arrive there should be someone waiting there for you to tell you what to do first. Hear this messenger's words and do what they tell you for I'm the one who has sent them to you. Now Link, find the other sages and save Hyrule. You're its last hope!"

Suddenly, Link was blinded by a bright light all around him. And just like that, the Hero of Time returned to the realm of Hyrule, ready to take on his new quest.


	3. Fate

**Chapter 3: Fate**

Though she had been held up by the unintelligent Redeads in the former Hyrule Castle Town Market, Sheik managed to make it to the Temple of Time before the end of the morning. As she stood in front of the ancient building, Sheik could feel a presence emanating from it. It was not the normal evil presence that came from all of Hyrule, instead it was one that was filled with light.

_Light… _Sheik thought as she entered the large wooden doors of the Temple. _Could it be?_ She stopped in her tracks when she entered the lofty temple. Though the air was stiff and heavy, something else seemed to be coming through; the hope she had felt when she was in Hyrule Field. Looking ahead, the young Sheikah woman could see that indeed, the ancient door of time had been opened. Curiosity to see what lay beyond it got the better of her and she strode across the temple silently and slipped through the door unnoticed.

Much to her surprise, the only thing on the other side was a pedestal and a large window many feet above the ground that provided little light to the already dark room. "So," Sheik said in a low whisper. "That's where the Master Sword was. No doubt the hero took it, but what happened to it and to him?" Sheik knew the boy from the forest had to still be alive. Ganondorf did not kill him on that day seven years ago. But that still didn't explain everything. Ganondorf could not touch the Master Sword, since only the Hero of Time could take it from the Pedestal of Time. If that was so, then where were they?

Sheik paced around the large room, but found nothing out of the ordinary. Perhaps she had been mistaken in coming here… Coming to the conclusion that she had been wrong, Sheik prepared to leave. After all, she had come here expecting the Hero of Time to appear, but she had been wrong. In disappointment, Sheik turned to leave the temple when suddenly a bright light emanated from the Pedestal of Time. Sheik, whipped her head around and, as a precautionary measure, she threw a Deku Nut down, causing it to explode as she slipped into the shadows. An old Sheikah technique, it allowed Sheik to become literally part of the shadows.

Sheik watched the light from her hiding place as it faded away, leaving a single figure, a young man, about Sheik's age standing in its place. From Sheik's angle of view, he looked handsome enough, with sharp Hylian features, blonde hair and a lean and muscular frame. He wore a green cap and matching green tunic with a belt laden with various weapons. But what convinced Sheik the most that this was the one who she had been waiting for was the fact that in his hands he grasped the legendary Master Sword. But that wasn't the only surprising thing about him. Sheik knew this man from before, but the years had changed him greatly. He was not the same child she had encountered years before and chances were, and Sheik hoped, he would not know who she was.

* * *

><p>When Link regained his vision, he found himself once again in the Temple of Time, the same place he had disappeared from seven years ago. It was an odd feeling, being back in Hyrule after so long. Immediately he could feel that the air was thick with darkness, and he almost didn't want to venture outside of the temple to see what destruction had fallen upon the land in his absence, but he had a duty to uphold.<p>

Link stepped off the Pedestal and began to exit the room when he heard a barely audible noise from behind him. He stopped walking and in one swift movement, he pulled the Master Sword from its stealth and braced for an attack.

Standing on the Pedestal of Time, was a mysterious figure, a young woman as far as Link could tell from her frame, though her nose and mouth were obscured by a piece of white fabric that reached down to her stomach. The symbol of a cryptic eye that Link had seen before was printed on the fabric. Underneath she wore a blue pants outfit that looked like it was easy to move around in. White bandages were loosely wrapped around her forearms, breast and head, which concealed most of her dark blonde hair but some still fell out over her face, hiding one eye. The one eye Link could see was an unexplainable red hue. _She can't be real… _Link thought. It seemed as though she could vanish at any moment. And for some reason, if she did, Link would want her to come back. Yet she did not move. She simply stood there, her arms at her sides, and her one visible eye staring at him intently. An uncomfortable silence loomed between the two of them for several minutes until she decided to break it.

"I have been waiting many years for you, Hero of Time," she said in a deep feminine voice. "When evil rules all, an awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be sages, who dwell in the five temples." She inched her way closer to him, but Link did not move. He simple stood there watching her every, graceful movement. She continued, "One in the deep forest, one on a high mountain, one under a vast lake, one within the house of the dead, and one inside a goddess of the sand. Together with the Hero of Time, the awakened ones will bind the evil and return the light of peace to the world. This is the legend of the temples passed down by my people, the Sheikahs. I am Sheik, Survivor of the Sheikah Tribe."

_Sheik… _Link said the name in his head. It had a mysterious and alluring ring to it. And it made him crave to know more of this mysterious Sheikah. "I'm Link-" he began.

"Yes," Sheik said nodding. "I know. And as I see you standing there holding the mythical Master Sword, you really do look like the long awaited Hero of Time, the only person capable of ridding Hyrule of Ganondorf's dark reign. If you believe the legend, then you have no choice. You must look for the five temples throughout Hyrule and awaken the five sages. The first sage you must find awaits awakening in the Forest Temple. She is a girl I'm that you know from your past. Yet because of the evil power in the temple, she cannot hear the call from the Sacred Realm. Unfortunately, equipped as you are, you cannot even enter the temple. But if you believe what I'm telling you, head to Kakariko Village. There should be something there to aid you in your journey. Do you understand Link?"

"Yes," Link said, his eyes still trained on her. "I do believe you and I will go to Kakariko as soon as you tell me how you know all of this and how do you know me?"

"The legend of the sages has been passed down by the Sheikah for generations," Sheik said. "As for your other question, well, it will all be revealed in due time, hero. But for now, you and I must both be leaving."

"Wait!" Link said. "Will I see you again?"

Sheik smiled slightly underneath her mask. "Yes," she said. "I'm sure I will see you again. Good luck on your journey Hero of Time." With that, she gave him a small wink and used a Deku Nut to hide in the shadows. From there she watched patiently to see what he would do next.

Surprised by her sudden disappearance, Link looked around for the Sheikah, but she was nowhere to be found. As quickly as she had appeared she had left. As Link exited the main part of the Temple, a new feeling came over him. It was one he had felt before, but this was the first time he knew what it was and the strongest he had ever felt it: desire. He wanted to know all he could about this young Sheikah woman, who could vanish in the blink of an eye and who had known him even when he had been sealed in the Sacred Realm.

Sheik watched him as he left and the same feeling came over her, but in a different way. Oh, how she longed to tell him everything. To explain her purpose to him. But it was not the proper time. For the time being, Sheik would have to deceive him, though she did not want to, as she had been deceiving everyone else for the past seven years. But at the very least, she could let him know she was on his side. And that she would do everything in her power to make sure he succeeded and that he was kept safe.


	4. Discoveries

**Chapter 4: Discoveries**

Link was so caught up in thoughts of Sheik, that he almost didn't realize he had stepped into Hyrule Castle Town's Market. Or what used to be the market. The bustling locale the hero remembered from his childhood was now nothing more than a collection of buildings lying in ruins. Abandoned by its former residents, the place was filled with Redeads, ready to attack Link the second they saw him. Navi, sensing the dark energy that filled the area, retreated under Link's hat until the left the Castle Town. Sheik had made first his destination clear: Kokiri Forest to locate the Forest Temple and awaken the first sage. Pushing all distracting thoughts from his head, Link headed to the forest where he had spent his childhood.

Something else was gnawing at him though: Princess Zelda. Though seven years had passed, Link could remember the day he met Hyrule's young princess well. Zelda confided in Link that she was certain Ganondorf planned to take advantage of his alliance with the King of Hyrule to steal the Triforce. Little did the king know that his young daughter's premonitions had been right on the mark. It was Zelda who sent Link on his quest to collect the three Spiritual Stones so that the Sacred Realm could be secured. It was almost immediately after he finished this task that Ganondorf took over the Castle. Zelda managed to escape with her attendant Impa, but not before entrusting the Ocarina of Time to the young hero and teaching him the Song of Time in a vision. The next events occurred in a quick succession: Link going to the Temple of Time and using the mystical Ocarina to open the Door of Time, him pulling the Master Sword, Ganondorf stealing the Triforce, and Link's spirit being sealed away for seven years. In that span of time, what had happened to the princess? Had she remained in hiding or had she been captured by Ganondorf and received a fate worse than death? Link could only hope it was the former.

* * *

><p>"Lord Ganondorf!" the witch sisters known as the Twinrova, Koume and Kotake screeched in unison as they entered the Guredo king's chambers in the castle that at one time had been home to the Royal Family. "We have detected a disturbance in the Temple of Time!"<p>

"What?" Ganondorf turned to face them. "That's not possible! The only person that could be there is-" Upon the realization, Ganondorf paled and then shouted out "Nabooru! Sheik! Get in here know!"

"Yes Lord Ganondorf?" The Guredo woman known as Nabooru burst into the room, along with three other Guredos almost immediately. "Here I am."

"Where is Sheik?" Ganondorf hissed.

"We don't know," Nabooru answered breathlessly. "I suppose she's still on her leave. Quite lazy of her to be gone for so long if you ask me." Nabooru considered Sheik her greatest competition for Ganondorf's praise and favor. And that was something that Nabooru could not give up easily.

"Then send someone to find her," said Ganondorf impatiently.

"That's not necessary," a voice called from the shadows. Sheik silently emerged from the darkness in the room and stepped into the dim light. "I apologize, Lord Ganondorf, for being late. I lost track of time."

"Don't let it happen again," the King of Evil warned. "Now, I have something important to tell all of you. As I've told you all many times before, I was able to enter the Sacred Realm and take the Triforce only after that foolish kid from the forest opened the Door of Time. I don't know how, he may have returned somehow. He no doubt has the powerful Master Sword in his possession."

"What about the Ocarina of Time?" Nabooru asked.

"That too," Ganondorf scowled. "That little brat Zelda must have given it to him before she ran away."

"Could that mean… that the forest boy is the Hero of Time?" One of the Guredos said.

"Please," Ganondorf laughed. "The legend of the "hero of time" is nothing more than an old fairy tale."

"Lord Ganondorf," Sheik interrupted. "The prophecy of the Hero of Time is real. It was passed down by my people for centuries."

"Well then, Sheik, if you know so much about this hero," Ganondorf said. "I suppose you would know whether or not he has arrived."

Sheik wouldn't dare give Link away to the enemy. So she simply replied, "I do not."

At that same moment, a battle exhausted Stalfos crashed through the large wooden doors. "L-lord Ganondorf!" the creature cried out with heavy breaths. "I-it's him! The H-hero of Time! He's arrived! He had the Master Sword, a-and everything! We saw him heading towards the forest! In fact, we think that he's that same boy who opened the Door of Time seven years ago!"

Sheik cursed under her breath upon hearing this. She had wanted to keep that fact that Link was awake for as long as possible, but know his cover was blown. And now, Ganondorf would be actively trying to murder him.

"So the forest boy really is the Hero of Time, hm?" Ganondorf said, his face darkening. "Well then, he is certainly heading for the Forest Temple to awaken the Forest Sage. I know how to deal with him though, especially is that kid's still as weak and pathetic as he was all those years ago. Come, my shadow!" Ganondorf called out to the open air. "Phantom Ganon! You're time to play has come! Get to the Forest Temple before the Hero of Time, and kill him."

As Ganondorf was speaking, a figure rose out of the smoke that had gathered in the room. The being was a near-mirror image of the King of Thieves, Phantom Ganon. The ghost wasted no time. It gave its master and creator a quick salute and vanished into the thin air, its destination the Forest Temple and its target, Link, the Hero of Time.

"As for the rest of you," Ganondorf turned to Twinrova, Nabooru and Sheik. "Keep a close eye out for the Hero of Time, and if you see him, do not hesitate to use deadly force against him."

"Yes Lord Ganondorf," The company answered as they exited in different directions.

"So the Hero of Time has returned after all these years…" Ganondorf mused to himself. "Even if he does hold the sword of evil's bane in his hands, there is no way that he can defeat me so long as I hold the power of the Triforce in my hands." Ganondorf gave a celebratory laugh over his self-assured victory.

What he didn't know was that, hiding in the shadows yet again, was Sheik, eavesdropping on his monologue. _So you think, Ganondorf… _She thought. _But the Hero of Time holds more power than you know…_


	5. Minuet

**Chapter 5: Minuet**

Sheik found herself crossing the vast expanse that is Hyrule Field. The further she got from the Castle Town, the more relaxed she became. After all, Ganondorf would be tracking Link, not her. But she still had to act with caution. Nabooru and the others would be on high alert for the Hero of Time's activities and if she was seen aiding him, it would blow her cover. Luckily for her, the Sheikah were masters of stealth.

Having traversed across Hyrule many times over in the past seven years, Sheik knew the lay of the land quite well. And even though it was broken from Ganondorf's cruel rule, Hyrule still retained some of its former beauty. Kokiri forest was no exception. Though the evil king's monsters were thick among the trees, causing the forest children who lived there, the Kokiri, to cower in fear of them, the setting was as spectacular as ever with its lush environments, flowing stream, and fairies flittering through the air in every direction like dandelion seeds.

It was to this labyrinth of trees that both the Hero of Time and the survivor of the Sheikah were headed to.

As Link, having traveled to Kakariko to receive the Hookshot, saw his former home in the distance, his thoughts turned to his childhood friend, Saria. When Link lived among the Kokiris as a child long ago, his closest friend and confidant had for as long as he could remember been the vibrant, youthful, and kind Saria. For the longest time Link had been considered an outcast among the Kokiri due to the fact that he did not have a guardian fairy like the rest of them until Navi came along. Often being mocked because of this fact, the only person in the world who seemed to understand him was Saria. Though she did have a fairy of her own, Saria simply ignored the fact that Link did not have one. From the moment they first met they had been the best of friends, getting into many mischievous childhood adventures and living out their days in the peace of the Forest. It was Saria, upon Link leaving the forest for the first time, gave him the Fairy Ocarina, which proved very helpful in his childhood adventures. He had held on to the memento for all these years, and while the Ocarina of Time given to him by Zelda held mysterious and strong powers, Link found himself pulling out the Saria's Ocarina as he headed towards the forest, and playing a simple song his long-time friend had taught him long ago. It was a bright and cheery tune that Saria had often played or sang, yet it also brought bittersweet memories to the Hero of Time's mind.

And so Link, now an adult, the Hero of Time no less, returned to the place that he had thought he would never leave. Though much of the forest retained its former appearance, the creatures lingering around almost every turn and the Kokiri hidden in their homes from these beasts gave it an eerie feeling of desolation. Link proceeded to clear the Deku Baba's terrorizing the area and proceeded towards the Lost Woods, a place where Saria used to spend a lot of her time in quiet contemplation. Though Link remembered that his mission here was to awaken the Forest Sage, he _had _to see if Saria was alright first.

Saria's iconic song still rung through the maze like corridors of the woods. Using this melody, Link knew which way to go to make it to his and Saria's old spot, the Sacred Forest Meadow.

As Link traveled, Sheik stayed close by, watching him from the shadows. Aside from trying to get to the Forest Temple to provide Link with more aid, Sheik somehow found herself fascinated with his actions and his behaviors. Though Link was a very straight-forward kind of person, there was something about his determination, his strength and his courage that seemed to impress Sheik. And she was not impressed easily.

Eventually making it to the Sacred Forest Meadow, Link was dismayed to find that Saria was nowhere to be found. He slowly and solemnly approached the tree stump that she would often sit on and play her ocarina, the same place from where she taught him her song seven years ago. He played the song over in his mind as he looked wistfully at the stump. He didn't even notice that Sheik had appeared from the shadows until she began to speak.

"Hello again Link," she said quietly, noticing his melancholy.

"Huh? Oh, Sheik, it's you," he said somewhat distantly.

Sheik eyed him for a moment, noticing his inner sorrows and decided to calm him with comforting words. "The flow of time is always cruel…" she began. "Its speed seems different for each person, yet no one can change it." Sensing that this thought was not enough, as Link was still affixed on the stump, Sheik quickly formed the next set of words to apply directly to him. She moved closer to him, but yet again he did not notice until she placed her hand on his shoulder. It started him, and he soon found himself staring into the deep red eye of the Sheikah woman. A wave of newfound hope began to swell in him as she continued her poem. "But a thing that does not change with time is a memory of younger days…"

Link simply nodded, too overcome by the beauty and truth of Sheik's words. Sheik caught sight of the small glint of a tear hanging on the corner of his eye. She had overheard him asking about a girl named Saria, and she could only assume that this Saria had been someone important to him in his past.

At the same time, Sheik began to see Link in a different light because of that tear. Perhaps, he was more than a hardened hero, one who in seven years he didn't get to see, had lost so much. A boy trapped in the body of a man. One who had lost his childhood, his friends, and his happiness to destiny. And she knew well who was to blame for this. But she could not tell him here. Not yet. So for the moment, she decided to reveal the original reason for why she had come here.

"In order to come back here again," Sheik said as Link's resolve began to return to him. "Play the Minuet of Forest." With that Sheik took out her small harp and began to strum a tune that was both upbeat and elegant at the same time. Link, upon hearing the melody, pulled out the Ocarina of Time. _So, _Sheik thought, _he kept it all these years…_ Sheik plucked out the notes of the Minuet once again on her harp and Link followed suit with the Ocarina. Together the two of them crafted a song with beautiful harmony and rhythm, letting the music of the forest intertwine between the two of them. As the song came to an end, Sheik placed her harp aside and looked over the hero once more.

"Just above you is the Forest Temple," She said. "There you will find many of Ganondorf's creatures but you will also find the Forest Sage. I wish you luck on your journey, Hero of Time…" sensing that there was no other way she could help him at the moment and the fact that emotions were beginning to well up inside of her also, Sheik stepped away from Link slowly. "Link…" She said slowly, meaning to see more than what she did. "I'll see you again." In almost once swift movement, before Link could ever react, Sheik had pulled a Deku Nut out, let it explode on the ground before her and vanished into the shadows once more.

Link, his mind still flooded with emotions about both Saria and Sheik, pulled himself together as much as he could and entered the Forest Temple. From the shadows, Sheik did not even watch him as he entered. Instead, she simply stood there pondering. Perhaps it had been unrealistic to think that even the Hero of Time was completely stoic and did not suffer from common emotions, but even upon their very first meeting, she had thought he had been bound to his duty first, his feelings last. Yet in that one small, crystalline tear, Sheik discovered that Link could not help but succumb to his emotions every once in a great while. Much like her, as much as she tried to hide it. Perhaps, they were more alike than either one of them thought. Kindred spirits, bound by the same goal: to defeat Ganondorf. And, perhaps, if she could tell him the truth, then both of them would be less reserved, but it was an impossibility at the time being. Time had changed so much for both of them, but in the end, they seemed to remain the same. Yet the exception to that was to reveal itself in the very near future…


	6. Forest

**Chapter 6: Forest**

Link had long since entered the Forest Temple as Sheik remained outside, many thoughts running around in her mind. A feeling of deep longing came across her, a want to be near him. But why? Few words had passed between the two of them, and they had little time to be around each other due to obligations of duty. _Perhaps, _Sheik thought as she finally began to make her way out of the Lost Woods, _we our bound by something more. _Whatever this something was, it was beyond her ability to explain. It was something words could not convey, and it was the very thing that made Sheik want to see Link again very soon.

It was foolish though. Chasing after something so trivial and unimportant like desires in times such as these. Hyrule was crumbling apart at the seams. For years Sheik had operated as a spy right under Ganondorf's nose, undetected and undistracted. Yet as suddenly as she saw Link, her focus was compromised. And as much as she wanted to make the resolve to regain that focus, she knew that it would be a futile effort. For some reason, all her mind could think of was the Hero of Time, and perhaps, under different circumstances it wouldn't be so hard, but for Sheik, the present situation seemed impossible.

* * *

><p>Link meandered his way through the Forest Temple, decoding every puzzle that he came across and defeating every enemy that opposed him without flinching. His motivation was clear: to find Saria, as every Kokiri he had asked in the forest told him this was the place she had last been seen. As he was fighting through the many layers of the temple, his thoughts turned to a vital clue that Sheik had given him upon their first meeting, <em>"The first Sage you must find awaits awakening in the Forest Temple. She is a girl I'm sure you know…" <em>Suddenly, it hit him: the Forest Sage must be Saria. If this was true, it added an all new sense of urgency to his search for his old friend.

The tight-earth packed walls of the ancient structure made it foreboding atmosphere enough, but what the young hero was about to face would completely catch him off-guard. Upon entering a circular room lined with portraits of a forest path, Link stopped to check the map of the temple he had found earlier. The room he had just come into was a dead end, so the only choice was to turn around and go back to see if he had left any stone unturned. However as he made it to the opened door he had came through, it slammed shut and locked in place. A menacing laugh suddenly erupted throughout the room, one that Link had heard before.

Almost instantly, his mind flashed back to that day seven years ago. The cold rain poured down in relentless sheets from a black sky. Billows of smoke erupted from the Castle Town which was right before him. He looked out into the dark distance where she had just disappeared into. Suddenly, from behind him that deep and cruel laugh boomed out. Spinning around in a flash, the boy hero beheld the evil Gerudo King, Ganondorf. Letting out a small gasp, Link backed up in fear, but then stood his ground. A brief exchange of threatening words came next: Ganondorf demanding Link reveal which way Princess Zelda rode off to, Link refusing, Ganondorf next demanding Link relinquish the Ocarina of Time he had just received from Zelda and then Ganondorf knocking Link to the ground and stealing the ocarina Saria had given him instead of the Ocarina of Time. After that the evil king rode off in pursuit of the escaped princess, leaving Link scared for Zelda's life and determined to stop Ganondorf's evil reign before it began.

Upon hearing this familiar laugh in the Forest Temple, Link looked around the room, the Master Sword poised in his hand to attack, when smoke began to gather in the room, obstructing his vision. When it cleared, Link cried out in shock at what he saw: "Ganondorf!"

Navi quickly corrected Link. "No Link! That's not Ganondorf, I can sense it! It's his Phantom!"

Looking closer, Link could tell the being before him that sat high atop a black horse was not his main adversary, but an apparition. The key difference was the phantom's face, which was skull-like in appearance. Link, knowing that this monstrosity must be holding Saria captive, raised his sword to attack.

* * *

><p>"<em>We'll always be friends, right?" <em>Those were the last words Link would ever hear from Saria. He knew this bitter reality to be true, but her still couldn't accept it.

Link had defeated Phantom Ganon in an arduous battle and afterwards he entered the Chamber of the Sages once again and sure enough, there was Saria, the Forest Sage, waiting for him. After thanking Link for awakening her, the Kokiri girl confirmed that she had always believed he would return, even when everyone else thought he was gone forever. She told him that fate had determined that both of their destinies were ultimately cruel, but that as the future would shine bright so long as a hero such as him existed to defend it. She then bestowed the Forest Medallion upon him, adding the power of the Forest Sage to him. As Link returned to the Lost Woods, he could hear Saria's final words to him asking him that question he had long since known the answer to. That no matter how much time passed, how much either of them changed, and how cruel fate was for either of them, they would always be friends.

* * *

><p>Ganondorf was enraged when he received word that Link had made it through the Forest Temple alive. His frustration showed strongly during the next meeting he held with the Gerudos and Sheik.<p>

"How did that stupid kid defeat my phantom?" the Gerudo king bellowed. "It was specifically made to kill him!"

"Lord Ganondorf," Nabooru coaxed. "Please settle down. If you would just leave that Hero of Time to me and the other Gerudos here, he'd be wiped out in less than a minute."

"In due time," Ganondorf said, calming down. "I mean, how hard can it possibly be to kill one boy?"

Sheik, who had been silently observing the situation as to not give anything away said to herself, "Perhaps you have been underestimating his courage."

Unfortunately, her mutterings had been just loud enough for Ganondorf and Nabooru to hear. "What did you say, Sheik?" Nabooru asked with contempt.

Deciding it was futile to try and play it off, she repeated herself louder. "Perhaps you have been underestimating him."

Ganondorf's eyebrows furrowed. "Then what do you suppose we do?"

Sheik shrugged coolly. "Lord Ganondorf, I am simply a humble servant," she said respectfully. "I merely act upon your whims, not my own."

Nabooru grumbled in envy at this perfect reply, as Ganondorf formulated a plan in his mind. As he was finalizing the details, he called for the Twinrova, who quickly flew into the room, ready for whatever duty he had in store for them.

"Go to Lon Lon Ranch and find a man named Ingo," Ganondorf instructed. "He is already loyal to me, but I want you two to brainwash him into relentlessly destroying the Hero of Time when we lure him to the Ranch. Now go!"

"Yes, Lord Ganondorf," the twin witches cackled as they flew off to the ranch.

"Sheik," Ganondorf turned to his Sheikah servant. "Now is the time for you to act upon my whim. Go to the Ranch and find a way to get the Hero of Time to go there. Do you understand?"

As to not seem suspicious, Sheik replied without hesitation, "Yes, Lord Ganondorf." And with a slight bow, she slipped into the shadows, with a plan of her own in mind.


	7. Guide

**Chapter 7: Guide**

Link left Kokiri Forest, with the Forest Medallion in hand and ready to awaken the next sage, wherever they may be. It was then that he realized he had next to nothing to go on as to where to locate the next sage. _I'm sure Sheik would know,_ the young hero thought as he crossed Hyrule Field. But of course, Link had no idea where Sheik could be at the moment. Her mysterious nature was very alluring to him and he planned to get into deeper discussion with her upon their next meeting.

As he walked across the field, he began to hear a small sound, which grew into a quiet song as he went on his way. Link's ear perked up however, the moment the song registered in his memory. It was a song he had heard when he was a boy, one he had learned to play on his Ocarina. And of course, the song came from the place he had learned it, Lon Lon Ranch. Link began to think of his childhood friend, Malon, they very person who had taught him the song that she called Epona's Song. It was named for one of the ranch's horses, Epona, who loved that song dearly. Malon, even as a little girl, was able to sing each note of the relaxing tune clearly and harmoniously. Hearing this song made Link wonder how Malon was, so, the hero decided to take a brief detour to the ranch to visit her.

What Link didn't know that it was not Malon who was singing Epona's Song. Instead, it was Sheik, who was plucking the tune on her harp. Her mastery of the instrument proved useful as she was able make it sound like singing. Sheik, hiding in the shadows just outside of Lon Lon Ranch, watched as Link neared the entrance. Though, of course, he had no idea she was there, she looked him dead in the eyes as he passed her by. She stopped playing just as he made it into the ranch, and she followed suit. Sheik's purpose was two-fold. She had lured Link to the ranch not because Ganondorf had commanded her to, but so Link could return peace to the ranch. Her main goal, however, was to watch the hero at work; to see how he would handle the situation.

Almost immediately Link could tell something was wrong on the ranch. Malon and her father, Talon were nowhere in sight and neither where any of the horses, cows, or cuccos. The erriee emptiness of the place gave Link good reason to raise his guard.

Suddenly Link heard a screech from above him and before he could even react, something was on top of him. Thrusting the object that was clinging to his back to the ground, Link pulled out his sword and prepared to strike when he saw that his attacker was the ranch's farmhand, Ingo. Link remembered Ingo as always being a cranky old curmudgeon when the young hero visited the ranch during his childhood, but now it appeared that the farmhand had lost his mind. Ingo didn't speak a word to Link, instead he just pulled out a rusted knife and, with a wicked smile creeping under his thick moustache, thrust the blade at Link. Link instinctively dodged the attack and raised his sword and the two engaged in a duel. Sheik, no longer hiding in the shadows, but not easily visible, watched the battle with great interest from atop the roof of the farm house. From observing, she could tell Link was an excellent swordsman, quick and skilled. A heroic and brave fighter with sharp wits. Yet even as he continued to exchange hits with Ingo, Link was not able to top the stout old man. Link began to feel the weight of exhaustion upon him as the fight went on and so he retreated, a rare act for the hero, but a necessary one. Looking for a momentary shelter so that he could rest until his strength returned to him, Link ran to the barn, with Ingo in hot pursuit. Upon entering the building, Link pushed a heavy crate in front of the door to barricade the insane farmhand from attacking.

Leaning against the wooden wall of the barn and breathing heavily, Link looked through the dust and din of the building and he found the missing animals. But that was not all he found. In the far corner of the room, Link could barely make out the figure of a young woman. Malon. Shaking his head and smiling in relief, Link spoke to his old friend, "Hiding from Ingo?"

Stepping into the dim sunlight leaking from the half closed windows, Malon, know fully grown herself and firmly grasping onto a rake, looked at Link in confusion. "Who are you?" she asked, not recognizing the adult Link.

"Remember Malon? The 'Fairy Boy' from seven years ago?" Link asked using Malon's old nickname for him.

Malon stepped closer to him and examined his face for a moment and then gasped in excitement. "Oh!" she laughed. "It is you! Link, right? Where have you been all these years!" Upon asking that, Malon gave Link a good natured slap on the face. Then she pushed her antics aside and spoke in a very serious tone. "Mr. Ingo has taken over the ranch," she said sadly. "He ran my father out and said that if I didn't do everything he said, he'd mistreat the animals. I've heard that Ingo is even working for Ganondorf! What's worse is that lately, he's been acting even more crazy than usual, and that's why all of the animals and I are hiding in here. Please Link! You have to help me stop Mr. Ingo!"

"Of course Malon," Link said consolingly. "When I arrived here, he attacked me and that's why I ran in here. Do you know any way to stop him?"

"Well of course I don't!" Malon said, crossing her arms in frustration. "Why do you think I'm hiding from him?"

"Right," Link sighed. "Well then, I guess we'd better work together to stop him, what do you say?"

"Sure thing Fairy Boy!" Malon smiled, gripping her rake tighter. "Anything to save Lon Lon Ranch!"

"OK then," Link said, getting ready to move the crate from in front of the door. "Ready? One, Two, Three!" In one swift movement the Hero of Time pushed the crate aside and the door burst open. There the insane Ingo stood, his eyes burning with intense anger as he swung his knife at the hero.

Link, drawing his sword, began to fight back, as Malon cheered him on and even got a few swings in at Ingo with her rake. However, this was not enough, as Ingo somehow seemed to overpower the two of them. Seeing this, Malon called out to Link in the midst of the melee. "Link! Up here!" She motioned to a ladder on the side of the farmhouse and the two of them used it to climb to the roof of the wooden structure so that they could work out a strategy. Then Link quickly pushed the ladder down from its standing position so Ingo couldn't follow them.

"What are we going to do?" Malon asked breathlessly.

"I don't know," Link sighed. "How is he so powerful all of the sudden?"

"Perhaps I could shed some light on that," a familiar voice said out of nowhere.

Link recognized the voice immediately. "Sheik? What are you doing here?" he couldn't help smiling as he spoke into the thin air, as he was still unable to see the hiding Sheikah.

"Hello again, Hero of Time," Sheik greeted as she materialized a few feet away from Link and Malon.

"You said you knew something about Ingo?" Link asked eagerly.

"Yes," Sheik said nodding. "The farmhand is being mind-controlled by Ganondorf's servants, the Twinrova. Brain-washing is their specialty. Quite a wicked trick if you ask me. He will remain under their control until he disposes of the Hero of Time."

"And is there any way to stop him without that happening?" Link asked somewhat impatiently. Something else was gnawing at him too however. "How do you know anything about this? And why would you tell me? And what in the world are you?"

Sheik turned to face the Hero of Time, giving him a harsh look straight in the eye. "I am simply a minstrel," She said firmly. "I hear things as I travel and this information I just happened to come across recently. So you either except it, or you don't." Her demeanor eased after this however and she began to strum a soothing melody on her harp, which in turn set Link's mind at ease as well. "Another rumor I happened upon is that Princess Zelda has been seen alive recently," She said. "I thought that information would be of some interest to you."

"Zelda?" Link jumped on the opportunity. "Where?"

"I do not know that much," Sheik said. "But if she is alive, then perhaps you will come across her during your travels. Until then, we will meet again soon Link." This time, instead of using a Deku Nut to make a quick exit, Sheik gracefully left off the roof, while calling out one final thing: "The key to Ingo's brain-washing is located inside his ear!"

"Sheik, wait!" Link attempted to stop the sly Sheikah in her tracks, but he was caught by Malon before he almost fell of the side of the roof.

"Link!" Malon said excitedly. "Did you hear what she said? Ingo's mind-control thingy is in his ear! Now we can get him back to normal! Let's go!" Malon readied herself to attack Ingo once more, but Link was still mystified by Sheik and enticed by this new information about Princess Zelda. If she truly was alive and free, then his chances of finding her were much stronger.

Link and Malon leaped down from the roof to face a seething Ingo. This time, the two of them targeted the ear, but there was no way of getting in a clear shot, until Malon formulated a plan. "Link!" She called out. "I got it!" Malon lunged forward and stuck Ingo in the head with her rake hard. The force of the impact was strong enough to cause the small mind-controlling gem placed there by the Twinrova to fall out of the farmhand's ear. Link quickly destroyed the relic underneath his boot, so that it could not be used for evil again.

Immediately, Ingo stumbled to the ground, disoriented by the blow to his skull. After a few minutes however, he gathered his bearings and recognized Malon. "Ms. Malon?" he asked, dazed and confused. "What happened? Who's that boy?"

Malon simply laughed. "Well Mr. Ingo," she said, winking to Link. "It's a long story. But are you ready to behave now?"

"Oh yes," Ingo nodded nervously as he saw Link with his sword still poised. "I'll do anything you say, just keep that kid with the sword away from me. He looks dangerous!"

"I think I can do that," Malon smiled. "If you can get all of the horses back into the corral for me."

"Of course!" Ingo said. "I'll get right to it Ms. Malon!" And with that the farmhand ran off to his duties, no longer a threat to anyone.

"Oh Link!" Malon said as she gave Link a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you so much for all of your help!"

"No Malon," Link smiled at his friend. "You're the one who saved the day with that rake."

"But I never would have had the courage to leave that barn if you hadn't come along," Malon said. "I have to give you something in return for all your help. Oh! I know. Link, do you still remember Epona's Song?"

"How could I forget it?" Link said reminiscing.

"Play it," Malon said, clasping her hands together with glee.

Link took out the Ocarina and began to play the bright and soothing Epona's Song. Before he could even finish the tune, the sound of clopping hooves grew closer, resounding as the horse drew near. Looking up, Link was surprised to see how much Epona, who when they first met, had been a small pony, had grown in seven years. Epona was now a strong and beautiful mare, bearing a lovely leather saddle on her back, just waiting for someone to ride her.

"Hi girl," Link patted the horse on her nose. "Good to see you again."

"She's yours now, Link," Malon said gently. "Take her with you on your quest. She's strong and sturdy, ready for anything."

"Oh Malon," Link said in bewilderment. "I couldn't possibly-"

"No," Malon stopped him. "I want you to have her. Please take her."

Link said nothing more, but simply nodded as he saddled up onto the horse. "I'll be back Malon!" He said as he turned Epona towards the exit.

"You're welcome anytime!" Malon called out as she waved to Link. "Thanks again for all the help. Take care Epona! Good luck Fairy Boy! Oh, wait- I mean, Mr. Hero!"

Link relaxed as he let Epona carry him across Hyrule Field. The horse was good company and she certainly made traveling much easier. But thoughts of Sheik had his mind uneasy yet again. There was so much he didn't know about this strange person who seemed to appear everywhere he did. Who seemed to be guiding him along his way, but would not reveal herself to him. Just who was Sheik and why was she helping him? These thought perplexed him until he could no longer keep them contained. He pondered aloud to Navi, who was always close at hand for a chat.

"Just who is Sheik?" he asked as the trio consisting of himself, Navi and Epona headed for Kakariko to get some leads on the next sage. "Do you think what she said about Zelda is true?"

"I do," Navi answered brightly.

"Why?" Link asked.

"I don't know," Navi said easily. "I guess it's just something about listening to her harp that made me think so."

"Yeah…" Link trailed off. At that point what was there to say, really? With so little actually known about Sheik, her reliability could be questionable, but she was right about the mind control gem, so why not believe her if she heard that the princess was alive? Besides, what other leads did Link have to follow? He knew very well that finding Zelda was just as important as awakening the seven sages, and so far, Sheik's word had been the first thing her had heard about the missing princess since he had awaken from his seven-year slumber. Yet he still craved to know more about the shadow guide herself.

Sheik, who was following from the shadows nearby, could tell this was perplexing Link from the puzzlement on his face. And so, to answer his wonderings, Sheik decided to reveal herself to him at that moment. Coming forth from the shadows while still quite a distance away from him, Link was still able to see her as she appeared. Immediately, Link slid off of Epona's back and ran to Sheik. "What are you doing here?" he asked her as the stood face to face once again.

"I'm here to ease your musings," Sheik said poetically. "I can sense that you have much to ask me. I cannot answer everything for you at present time, but I can tell you a few things."

"Why do you keep following me?" Link asked.

"I am not following you," Sheik said, though she knew that she was lying. "We simply keep on ending up in the same places. Coincidence, I suppose."

Link nodded, though he wasn't convinced. "What about you, where did you come from? Why were you at the Temple of Time that day? And why are you helping me?"

"I suppose I might as well tell you that much," Sheik said. "You are the Hero of Time, correct?"

"Yes," Link said, not following where she was going with this.

"And as the Hero of Time, it is your duty to liberate Hyrule, right?"

"Yes."

"Well then, allow me to tell you something that you don't know," Sheik said, glancing over the vast area around them. "You are not alone in this quest for peace and justice. There are many people and creatures out there who wish to see this land restored to its former glory. I am one of them. I wish for nothing more than for Hyrule to be free from this endless nightmare. For many years I have awaited for the Hero of Time to arrive. This legend has remained among the few survivors of my people. But I had been told many times that he would never come. And yet, here you are, the hope that I have been waiting for. And so, the very least I can do it assist the Hero of Time in his quest in any way I can."

"I think I understand," Link said quietly. He began to see just how important he was not just for all of Hyrule, but even for Sheik, who seemed so strong, without need of help or hope. Yet for her, Link was the very thing she had been hoping in for this long time. He once again found himself drawn into her deep red eye, but this was the first time he truly noticed it. It was a color so unnatural, so mystical and unreal in how it reflected the setting sun that it made him feel like he was going to fall into it and never be able to come out. He wondered it her other eye was like this. It was something that Link could only call beautiful. Her deep and drawing eye seemed to be the very window into what lied inside; something that Link knew was even more beautiful.

"I must go now, Hero," Sheik said softly, her tone reflecting her wistful mood. She pulled out a Deku Nut and looked at Link once more as she vanished into the dusky air saying, "I'll see you again, soon."

Link didn't try to stop her. He was still caught inside of that impossible eye. He knew escaping it would not be easy, but then again, why did he have to? Even though Link new little about love, it didn't take him long to figure out that he was captured in it. But just what did he love about her? Was it that eye, so surreal and beautiful that he could never tire of looking at it? Or was it that fact that they depended on each other? He depended on her as a guide and she depended upon him as a hope. Or maybe, he didn't even need a reason. He just knew that, perhaps for the first time ever, he had fallen in love. It was a dangerous thing of course, especially since the fate of Hyrule rested in his hands, but he didn't care. As selfish as it may have been Link decided to peruse it, and the next time they would meet, he was determined to tell her how he felt.


	8. Bolero

**Chapter 8: Bolero**

Having traveled to Kakariko Village, then to Goron City, Link found himself scaling Death Mountain once more. Only this time, the mountain was much more treacherous then it had been seven years ago. Ominous black clouds loomed over the peak and smoking brimstone rained down from the side of the active volcano. Skillfully dodging each fiery bolder, Link edged ever closer to the peak so that he could enter Death Mountain Crater and access the Fire Temple. The next sage was certain to be located there, according to the few Gorons that remained in Goron City. Most of the other Gorons had been captured by Volvagia, an ancient dragon revived by Ganondorf, and were being held prisoners within the temple. Darunia, the leader of the Gorons, had entered the Fire Temple to liberate his fellow Gorons. Upon Link's arrival at Goron City, one of the few Gorons there was Darunia's son, who had given Link the Goron Tunic so that he could survive the intense heat of the volcano and rescue the Gorons.

Aside from rescuing the Gorons and awakening the Fire Sage, Link had another agenda as well. He hoped to meet up with Sheik along the way somehow, so he could tell her what he was feeling, but he knew it was risky. There was a very real possibility that she would not feel the same way. She was not as impulsive as he was, and he knew that. But it was well worth a try.

* * *

><p>"That simple-minded farmhand has failed you Lord Ganondorf," Nabooru informed Ganondorf as the group met up once more. "The Hero of Time somehow managed to discover the mind controlling gem and he destroyed it before Ingo could kill him."<p>

"How on earth did he figure that out?" Ganondorf snarled. "Perhaps we have been underestimating him. Well I'm sure that he'll be no match for that dragon that awaits him inside the Fire Temple."

"Lord Ganondorf," Sheik spoke up. "The Hero of Time grows ever stronger through each trial he encounters. It will take more than the lava dragon to destroy him."

Suddenly an unrelated thought crossed the Guredo King's mind. "Sheik," he said turning to face her. "Why do you serve me? You, a descendant of the Sheikah tribe, long since betrayed by the royal family that your people served faithfully at one time. Is it revenge?"

Sheik came up with a quick, simple, and ambiguous answer in her mind. "We are a tribe that lives within the world of the shadows," She began. "We cannot survive in this realm without substance. When I had no master, you appeared before me." She paused a few moments before finishing with, "That is all."

"Very well then," Ganondorf said. "Follow the Hero of Time to Death Mountain and make sure he does not make it out alive."

"I will," Sheik said coolly, as she vanished into the shadows once again.

* * *

><p>As Link entered the extreme heat of Death Mountain Crater, he formed the words he would say to Sheik in his head. Carefully choosing each phrase, he eventually came up with a detailed speech that would explain everything. Normally, Link was the kind of person who was never afraid. He had been commended on his courage many times, even as a child. Yet when it came to Sheik, he actually did harbor a little fear within his heart, especially now that he felt the way he did. He only hoped the words would come out easy without him sounding stupid. However, he would not get the chance to speak them upon their next meeting.<p>

Right as Link approached the Fire Temple, Sheik made her expected appearance. "Hello Link," she greeted, trying to avoid the intense heat of the surrounding area.

"Sheik!" Link called out to her. The two met up on a broken wooden bridge near the temple's entrance. "I have something I have to tell-" Sheik raised her hand to stop the Hero of Time from continuing. For a moment, she read his eyes, and she could tell almost instantly what he was feeling. But she knew that this was not the time or the place, though they would come soon enough. There was a job to be done here. So she began to interpret Link's feelings in words even more poetic and beautiful than he had formulated to say to her.

"It is something that grows over time," She said, poising her harp. "A true friendship. It is a feeling in the heart that grows stronger over time. This passion will soon blossom into a righteous power and through it, you will know which way to go." She gazed into his light blue eyes, and she began to realize that she felt the same way about him. The small friendship she had kindled with him had certainly grown into a strong fire even though they had only spoken a few times. Yet the ties that bonded them were stronger than fate and Sheik knew it. And in due time, they would be revealed. "This song is dedicated to the power of the heart. Listen to the Bolero of Fire," Sheik began to perform a quick passionate melody on her harp, one that contained the power of fire. Link instinctively pulled out the Ocarina of Time and played along and the Bolero of Fire grew into a harmonious and passionate piece as it glided seamlessly between the two of them.

"Sheik," Link said after the song was over. "I need to-"

"Now is not the time," Sheik stopped him. "Be patient, Hero of Time, and all you wish to know and say will be revealed. Link… I'll see you again…"

Link could tell that she was already on her way out, but he couldn't let her slip away again. He began to advance on her, but Sheik, thinking ahead, used another old Sheikah illusion to create a wall of flames between the two of them, which stopped the hero in his tracks. As he backed away from the fire, Sheik took advantage of the moment and disappeared once more. The fire cleared, and Link was alone, with the words he wanted to say still hanging on his lips.


	9. Fire

**Chapter 9: Fire**

Sheik remained outside of the Fire Temple long after Link had entered it, trying to piece her feelings together. The conflicting emotions she was having about Link ran around in her head, making her dizzy and frustrated. Her main concern was that she really didn't know how she exactly felt. But one thing she knew for certain was that whichever way she felt about him presented a problem. If their relationship had grown from a small spark into an uncontrollable fire, then it could become very dangerous for both of them. Sheik knew that when push came to shove, her emotions always won over her better senses. It was something she couldn't help. She would have to act more carefully than ever before now but that still probably wouldn't be enough to quell the passion quickly building up inside of her.

* * *

><p>Link wasted no time in making his way through the fiery depths of the Fire Temple. Like he had heard, many Gorons were being held prisoner within the base and after a brief encounter with Darunia, Link set to work on freeing them. In almost no time at all, he had found his way to the heart of the dungeon, where the ancient dragon, Volvagia laid in wait to attack him.<p>

In the ensuring battle that followed, Link, using the power of the Megaton Hammer he had found within the temple, was able to get in a few slashes against the beast, but the dragon was crafty and elusive.

"Navi!" Link called out as he used his shield to evade a flame attack from the beast. "What's its weak spot!"

"It doesn't seem to have one!" the fairy cried as she noticed the dragon's erratic movements. "Watch out Link!"

"Huh?" Link spun around just in time to see the giant tail of the dragon inches away from him. But it was already too late. Volvagia's tail hit the hero in the chest with such great force that it drove him into the hot, rocky earth several feet, causing the ground to shake violently and knocking Link unconscious.

* * *

><p>Sheik, still lingering outside of the temple, could hear and feel the earthquake from where she was. Immediately dread filled her. <em>Something's happened to him,<em> Sheik thought and without wasting another second, she was on her feet and running inside of the temple. Following the shaking of the ground, Sheik found her way to the room where Volvagia was. Luckily for the Sheikah woman, she was still hidden within the realm of the shadows so her entrance was unnoticed by the beast. The very first thing she noticed when she noticed was that Link was nowhere to be found, causing her to worry even more. She panicked and shouted out his name, "Link! Where are you!" She was given no reply and that's when she noticed the gaping hole in the center of the room. Sheik ran to it and peered over the side, and gasped when she saw Link's crumpled body lying in the center of it. Looking up at the dragon flying overhead, she could tell that with one more strike, the beast was ready to end the hero's life. If it wasn't over already.

Leaping over the side, Sheik approached Link quickly and pulled him into the shadows with her before Volvagia got that chance. He was still breathing, so Sheik considered that a plus. Looking over his wounds, Sheik saw that luckily nothing was fractured or broken. He was bleeding in multiple places though and he had several other bumps and bruises. Nothing she couldn't handle. Looking out from the shadows, Sheik could see that that Link's companion fairy, Navi, was panicking over his sudden disappearance. But Sheik could take no distractions at the moment though. As unnerved as she was, she gathered her composure and set to work on treating his wounds.

The low notes of a song registered in Link's ear. With each passing second it grew stronger, until he recognized it: Zelda's Lullaby. And then he could see her, the young princess herself, smiling at him. Looking down, he found himself in his child body again. It was like waking up from a long nightmare.

"Link," the princess said quietly through her kind smile.

"Yes?" Link said as he returned the smile.

"Link," she said again.

"What?" he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Wake up," she whispered and began to fade away.

"No!" he cried, upon realizing that she was slipping away from him. "Don't go!"

"Wake up," said the white emptiness surrounding him on all sides. "Wake up…"

The music from the harp became clearer until he realized its source. Opening his eyes, she was the first thing he saw and immediately Link was comforted by the soothing melody Sheik was playing to him. They were still in the hole inside of the Fire Temple, with Volvagia lingering victoriously overhead.

Upon noticing that he was finally awake, Sheik set her harp aside and turned to face him. She was sitting with her back against the side of hole, with Link lying a few feet away from him. "Glad to see you're finally coming around," she said.

Link tried sitting up, but he immediately recoiled at the pain in his chest and arms. "You-" he began breathlessly. "You treated my wounds…?"

"Yes," Sheik said, looking him over once more.

"Why?"

Sheik looked away from him. Now was not the time to tell him the true reason why she had saved his life. Even though she knew she owed it to him. "Because," she said coyly. "It would not be good if the Hero of Time were to be killed."

This reply was clearly not good enough for Link, but he didn't question it at the moment. Instead he simply said, "Oh."

"You must defeat the dragon with haste," Sheik said. "If you don't, the beast will destroy all of the Gorons as Ganondorf's 'warning' to the other races that if they don't obey him, they will be destroyed. Not only that, but if it continues to rage around like this, Death Mountain will erupt, covering all of Hyrule in lava. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Link nodded picking up the Master Sword.

"Good," Sheik said. "Use the Hammer of the Gorons to defeat it. Now go. We will meet again, Hero of Time." Sheik vanished and in doing so, Link was seamlessly freed from the shadow realm that Sheik had drawn him into to heal him.

"_Use the Hammer of the Gorons…"_ Sheik's advice had never failed him before, so Link put the tip into practice to take on Volvagia once more. And this time, the results were much more fruitful.

* * *

><p>"So," Ganondorf mused. "Volvagia failed to kill him?"<p>

"Yes, Lord Ganondorf," Sheik reported bowing on her knee before him. "But the Hero of Time was injured in battle. Now would be an excellent opportunity."

"Continue to observe him, Sheik," Ganondorf commanded. After another moment he asked, "Have you any news on Princess Zelda's whereabouts?"

"No," Sheik said. "I have looked everywhere, but I have found nothing."

"Hurry and find her!" Ganondorf said. "And when you do capture her. We must not allow the two of them to meet!"

Sheik nodded as she began to fade into the shadows once more. "I humbly obey," she said. She couldn't help but smile underneath the cloth covering her face. _Oh Ganondorf, _she thought shaking her head and laughing quietly, _If only you knew…_


	10. Serenade

**Chapter 10: Serenade**

"_It would not be good of the Hero of Time was to be killed…" _There was more to it than that and Link knew it. There was another reason why Sheik had revived him aside from the destruction of Volvagia, a task which the hero of Time had successfully completed. Link had a clear theory as to that other reason and the prospect excited him. Perhaps Sheik felt the same way as he did. The only thing he needed was a chance to tell her, but every time he tried, something would get in his way. Yet he consoled himself in the fact that the time would come, as even Sheik had confirmed that.

Link had awakened the Fire Sage, who turned out to be Darunia. After giving him a hearty show of gratitude, the Goron leader gave Link the Fire Medallion, adding his power to Link's.

And so with three more sages to find, Link set off once again, ready for the next leg of his journey. He thought back to Sheik's first words to him, to guide him once again as to where to go next: "_one on a high mountain, one under a vast lake…" _A vast lake… the only obvious place to go was Lake Hylia, but there was no way for Link to stay under the cold depths of the lake for long. _Maybe the Zoras could help, _Link thought as he rode Epona across Hyrule Field. When Link was a child, he had received the Zoras Sapphire, the Spiritual Stone of Water, from the friendly water-dwelling race as a reward for rescuing their princess, Ruto. To aid him in this task, they had given Link the Silver Scale so that he could dive underwater longer. Perhaps they had something that could help him stay underwater even longer. Coming to this conclusion, Link set a course for Zora's Domain.

Sheik stood at the entrance to Zora's Domain taking in the bitter cold air blowing through the empty area. In the seven years, Ganondorf had turned the once thriving home of the Zoras into a frozen wasteland. All of the Zoras who once lived there had been frozen underneath the ice and even the king of the Zora's had succumbed to the icy curse. Sheik had no time to think about this however as she had to work fast to complete her task before the Hero of Time showed up.

Taking caution as she stepped onto the slick ice that covered the water, Sheik searched from above it. Underneath the sheet of ice, all of the Zora's were suspended in the frozen water. As much as Sheik wanted to liberate all of them from their icy prison, there was only time to save one Zora: Princess Ruto. Sheik knew that if the princess remained under the ice, the next leg of Link's adventure would be near impossible and so Sheik decided to once again assist the hero from behind the scenes.

After minutes of dedicated searching, Sheik finally located the Zora Princess, her emaciated body stone cold and unmoving under the ice. Taking in a deep breath, Sheik stuck the hard ice near Ruto with her fist using great force. The impact was not enough to break the ice; however it did leave a decent sized crack in the surface. Shaking the pain from her hand, Sheik punched the ice once again with much better results. The surrounding ice broke, revealing she had luckily stuck a weak spot, though the rest of it was much thicker. Making the small hole she had managed to create as large as she could, Sheik braced herself and then plunged her hand into the impossibly cold water. Gasping at the painful cold of the water, she almost immediately retracted her hand, which was numb and throbbing.

Trying to ignore the pain, Sheik dropped her hand in the bitter depths of the water once again and moved it around, trying to get used to it. Suddenly she felt her hand hit something and looking down she could see hit Princess Ruto herself. Placing her other hand in the water, Sheik grabbed hold of the princess and pulled her out of the water through the hole.

Coming out of the water, Princess Ruto was unconscious due to being under the ice. Sheik examined the princess' condition as she rubbed her frozen hands together to help them recover from the bitter water. The feeling in the Sheikah's hands returned just as Ruto began to stir. Unable to sit up and shivering uncontrollably, Ruto opened her eyes and weakly turned her head towards Sheik.

"Princess Ruto," Sheik said to the confused and petrified Zora. "I'm glad to see that you're alright. If you want to rescue your people from beneath the ice, go to the Water Temple at Lake Hylia."

Sheik prepared to leave until she was stopped by Ruto, who breathing heavily as she began to sit up, asked her, "W-wait… Who a-are you…?"

Sheik turned to face the Zora Princess. "I am Sheik, survivor of the Sheikahs," said. "And when you see the Hero of Time, Link, send him my greetings."

Though still confused, Ruto nodded. Sheik used a Deku Nut to disappear, which startled the princess as she rose to her feet weakly and readied herself to go to the Water Temple.

_It's getting colder… _Link thought as he neared Zora's Domain. He remembered the area surrounding Zora's Domain to be seasonably warm during his visit there as a child. Perhaps it was just the wind... Suddenly Link felt something cold land on his face. Navi, flying ahead, call out, "Link! Look!"

Link rounded the corner and gasped in awe. Though he could see the entrance to Zora's Domain, Zora's Waterfall, all around it, snow was gently falling. He could sense that something was obviously wrong in Zora's Domain.

Playing Zelda's Lullaby on the Ocarina to gain access into the home of the Zora's, Link rushed in to find that Zora's Domain had been frozen over. "What could have happened here?" Link asked as he looked over the empty frozen wasteland.

"We should try to find King Zora or Princess Ruto!" Navi suggested. "Maybe they're still around."

Link nodded and headed towards King Zora's chambers. However the ice that was encompassing all of Zora's Domain had also effected the king, as he was frozen in a blanket of ice as well.

From there, Link decided to head towards Zora's Fountain, the source of water within Zora's Domain. Maybe the fountain was also the source of all of the ice as well…

Surrounded by ice on all side, Sheik could hardly wait until she was out of the bitter cold enclosure known as the Ice Cavern. She had been waiting in the shadows for what seemed like an eternity for Link to arrive. And when he did, she didn't hesitate to appear to him.

The same feeling that he felt every time she appeared began to stir in Link when he saw Sheik once again. After finding his way through the Ice Cavern, she was the last thing he expected to find. However, this would be a perfect opportunity to tell her, but he could tell by the blunt tone in her voice when she spoke that she was not ready yet. How much longer would he have to wait?

"We meet again Link," Sheik greeted him as she stepped closer. With every step closer she got though, she could see Link's face grow redder and redder with nervousness. She almost wanted to burst out laughing at this, but she restrained herself and got on with her mission. "If you came here to help the Zoras, you've wasted your time. This ice is all there is," she motioned with her hands to the icy walls surrounding them both. "With one exception, every last Zora is sealed under a thick sheet of ice. I managed to rescue the Zora princess, Ruto, a while ago, but she left to head for the Water Temple under Lake Hylia. I suggest you follow suit and head there as well."

"Of course," Link nodded, finally realizing that blood rushing to his cheeks.

"This ice is created by an evil curse that Ganondorf set upon Zora's Domain," Sheik continued to explain. "The monster in the Water Temple is the source of the ice and is causing the water within the lake to be corrupted. Unless you destroy this source, this ice will never melt. But if you have courage enough to confront the danger and save the Zoras, and I know you do, then I will teach you the ancient melody that leads you to the Water Temple."

"Teach me it Sheik," Link insisted.

"Very well," Sheik smiled to herself. Drawing out her harp, the Sheikah woman began to recite and play the Serenade of Water. "Time passes, people move. Like a river's flow, it never ends. A childish mind turns to noble ambition." For a brief moment, their eyes met and she could tell Link was caught up in the beauty of her words. And more than just the words. "Young love will turn to deep affection…" she said slowly, emotions beginning to swirl inside of her. "The clear water's surface reflects growth. Now listen to the Serenade of Water and reflect upon yourself…"

Link took out the Ocarina of Time and followed along as Sheik played the Serenade of Water, a song that flowed in a way much like the water. Soothing yet somewhat eerie, the music swam between Link's ocarina and Sheik's harp perfectly.

When the song was finished, Sheik addressed the Hero of Time once more. "Hurry to the Temple and find Princess Ruto," she said and she turned to leave again.

Link, taking notice of this, raised his hand to stop her. "Sheik, wait please!" he said. Sheik stopped and turned to face him, looking at him expectantly. Their eyes met again and they were both locked in each other's gazes. Entranced by that ruby red eye once again, every word Link had formed to say to her shattered.

"What?" Sheik asked although she had a vague idea of what he wanted to tell her.

Realizing that he would never get the words out in this place, Link pushed them aside for the moment, knowing that he would see her again soon. "Never mind," he said with a hint of disappointment in his voice. "I'll tell you later."

"Indeed you will," Sheik agreed. "I also have a few things to tell you myself, but now is neither the time nor place. Until then though, Link, I'll see you again." And with that she vanished once more.


	11. Water

**Chapter 11: Water**

Why? What about him enthralled her so much? What was the reason for the way she was feeling? There was so much she loved about him though: his brave heart, his strong yet sensitive nature, and almost everything else. His simple outer appearance housed someone she wanted to be close to. But of course, it would not be without its trials and tribulation. If any of Ganondorf's staff found out, the persecution would be swift and harsh for her. However Sheik was willing to risk that, and for the first time in a long time, she would allow herself this one pleasure.

Letting the cool, refreshing breeze blow through her tousled dark blonde hair that hung out from the bandages around her head, Sheik sighed as she pondered this. Looking out over the vast Lake Hylia, she saw that it was not shimmering as they normally did in the late afternoon sun due to Ganondorf's curse upon the lake. She thought of Link, who was no doubt exploring the treacherous depths of the Water Temple. For once, she was not hiding in the shadows, as there was no real need to. She was alone, waiting for Link to return from the temple, and it was getting late anyway. She hoped that the Hero of Time would emerge from the Water Temple soon; she had something important to ask him…

Link, having been in the Water Temple for what seemed like hours, was growing irritated and impatient. By far the most challenging temple he had maneuvered through, the Water Temple's complex puzzles and its use of the Iron Boots and the Zora Tunic that he had received from King Zora to allow him to stay underwater much longer, Link just wanted to find the Sage of Water and be done with the temple. But its difficulty was not the only reason Link wanted to return from the depths of the temple's dark waters. Of course, he wanted to see Sheik. And he swore to tell her the next time he saw her and to not let anything get in his way, even those beautiful, mysterious eyes.

Still needing to awaken the Sage of Water however, Link advanced. As Sheik had told him, Princess Ruto had made it to the temple and Link met up with her very early on. She went on her way to clear a path for the hero, but Link did not see her again for a long time. Link also had his own problems to deal with within the Temple, such as a dark copy of himself, no doubt created by Ganondorf to impede the hero's progress. Link quickly disposed of the poor doppelgänger and eventually made his way through all of the Water Temple's confusing trick and traps to the source of the ice in Zora's Domain: the giant aquatic amoeba, Morpha. A beast with a liquid form, it had the ability to move freely, with multiple deadly tentacles. Link, spearing no expense, took the creature head on and, after a lengthy and difficult battle, destroyed the fell beast and freed Zora's Domain and Lake Hylia from Ganondorf's curse.

Entering the Chamber of the Sages once more to receive the Sage of Water's power, Link was surprised when he arrived there to find that Ruto was the next sage.

She smiled at him, in the very same way she did when she had given him the Spiritual Stone of Water when they were children long ago. Link had rescued the Zora princess from the belly of the Zora deity, Lord Jabu Jabu. In return for his help, Ruto had given Link the spiritual stone, which was also, unbeknownst to him, the Zora's engagement ring, given by the princess to the man she wanted to marry. Link played Ruto's love-struck intentions off in a good natured way and continued on his journey.

Even seven years later, Ruto still had a strong infatuation with her rescuer. This was obvious to Link when the princess addressed him for the final time. "Oh Link," she began in a gushing tone. "I should have expected no less from the man whom I chose to be my husband."

"What?" Link exclaimed, remembering, but getting nervous.

Ruto giggled. "Zora's Domain and the Zoras will return to normal soon. And it only seems fair that I give you your proper reward: my eternal love…"

All of the blood immediately rushed to Link's cheeks and he stammered, "Well… Uh… I don't…"

Ruto laughed once again, feeling his uneasiness. "That's what I'd like to say, but I don't think I can offer that now though…" Link began to relax as the Zora princess continued. "I have to guard the Water Temple as the Sage of Water now. And you Link, I know that you're searching for Princess Zelda, right?"

"Zelda?" Link suddenly remembered the princess. Up until that point, Link, regrettably, had almost forgotten about his ongoing search for Zelda. He knew this was partially due to Sheik, and for some reason that he couldn't quite place, thoughts of Sheik and Zelda did not coexist in his mind together well.

"Hah!" Ruto exclaimed, not realizing Link's uneasiness on the topic. "You can't hide anything from me! However, I can sense that Princess Zelda is alive, so don't be discouraged."

"Thanks Ruto," Link said gratefully.

"I can tell that nothing will stop you in your quest to return justice and peace to this land," Ruto said. "And so, I bestow this Water Medallion unto you. Take it respectfully!"

Link received the Water Medallion from the Zora Princess, and as he was leaving the chamber of the sages he could hear her call out one final message to him: "I you see Sheik, please give her my thanks, OK?"

Sheik watched from the small isle she was waiting on in the center of the lake as the dark and foreboding waters of Lake Hylia became full with bright life once more and she knew that, as always, Link had succeeded. "As the water rises," she mused to herself, although she knew he would be arriving soon. "Evil is vanishing from the lake… Link did it." She found herself smiling at his tenacity and unwavering determination. Even more things to admire about him.

As Link returned from the Sacred Realm, he found himself breathing in the fresh air surrounding the lake instead of deep below its waters. It was a refreshing feeling, even as the bright orange glow of the sun that was beginning to set over the hills to the west blinded him for a moment. When he regained his vision, the very first thing he saw was Sheik standing there, waiting for him. He smiled and walked towards her.

"You did it once again, Hero of Time," she said allowing the admiration to show in her voice. "You did a fine job."

"Thank you," Link said, trying hard to suppress the redness brimming to his cheeks and to speak without a shaky tone. "By the way, Princess Ruto told me to thank you for saving her from under the ice."

"Ruto wanted to thank me?" Sheik asked. "I see. Well we'll have to save Hyrule for her sake as well won't we?"

_We. _The very word made Link's heart skip a beat for some reason, but he simply answered, "Yes, we will."

"Link, look at that," Sheik motioned to the clear blue waters of the lake. "Together, you and Princess Ruto defeated the monster and broke the curse. Once again, the lake is filled with pure water. All is as it was here."

Link took a moment to scan the surface of the lake and indeed, it had returned to its former self, as much of Hyrule had been doing since he had awoken. Already, the land was being restored to its former glory; the only thing standing between its complete freedom was Ganondorf.

Link turned to face Sheik again only to find that she was nowhere to be found. With dismay, he looked in almost every direction for her. He almost gave up looking for her when her heard her call from above.

Standing tall and beautiful from atop an old tree, Sheik looked down at Link who was awestruck by how the silhouette of her perfect and strong figure looked in the setting rays of the sun. "Link," she said. "Meet me at the Temple of Time this evening." For a moment their eyes met as she finished cryptically, "There are things we must discuss in private."

Link, for the first time, did not object over her leaving. He did not even try to stop her. He just watched as she performed a skillful and magnificent dive off of the tree and into the blue depths of the lake, vanishing without a trace once again. Link looked towards the dying rays of the golden sun, and without question, planning to head towards the Temple of Time at once. For he knew, without a doubt, that it was finally time.


	12. Prelude

**AU: Sorry that is has been ages dear readers! I was just thinking about this story the other day, and I figured I might as well at least work on it some more! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this really REALLY awesome and passionate chapter ;D  
><strong>

**Chapter 12: Prelude**

Link arrived at the Temple of Time just as the sun finished its scope for the day. Already the evening stars were appearing in the dusk sky. Knowing that this was a time meant for him and Sheik to be alone, he asked Navi to stand guard outside, though the fairy could tell what he truly meant by this and she agreed.

Gathering his wits about him, the young hero opened the tall wooden doors of the ancient temple and stepped inside.

Sheik, standing inside the chamber of that the Master Sword had been held in, could hear the sound of his footsteps as he crossed the long entry hall of the Temple. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, preparing herself for what she wanted to say and how she wanted to say it. Now indeed, was finally the time.

When Link appeared in the chamber, he smiled lightly as he saw Sheik standing in the glow of the rising moon that the small window high above them created. She certainly looked radiant, picturesque even. Like something out of a dream. His heart aflutter, he approached her slowly.

"Good evening Link," Sheik said in a charismatic tone.

"Good evening," Like returned her greeting, though not as steady.

"You have defeated countless monsters and have awoken three sages thus far," she said. "Yet there are still two more that require your help. In order to awaken them, you must become even more powerful. There will come a time when you will have to return to this place quickly. I will teach you a song for when that time comes," she pulled out her harp and positioned it. "The song to return you to the Temple of Time. Learn the Prelude of Light!"

Sheik began to play another mystical melody on her harp. A song that was bright and hopeful, and like its name, full of light. Link duplicated the song perfectly on the Ocarina of Time and the Prelude of Light was learned.

Putting her harp away, Sheik looked Link straight in the eyes. "Now that that small matter of business is over with," she began, her voice starting to become quieter. "Perhaps now is the perfect time for… you to tell me what you've been wanting to tell me."

Link took in a deep breath and began. "Well where do I start? Um… I… I…" he stammered. "I think you're wonderful Sheik," he said, realizing how ridiculous he must have sounded.

Sheik could feel the redness beginning in her cheeks. The statement had been awkward, yes, but it was genuine. "Thank you," she smiled underneath her face coverings. "There is an old folk tale that is passed down by my people, the Sheikah. It is about a young man and a young woman who were very close. However, when the young woman's life was put in danger, the young man stopped at nothing to save her, braving the most treacherous evils of the land. The young woman aided the hero in his quest however, but giving him a powerful instrument and helping to temporarily seal away a great evil to protect the world while the hero worked to permanently seal it. In the end, the evil was banished from the land for a time and the young man and the young woman created a prosperous kingdom in that land. That ancient story has been passed down by the Sheikah for generations. We define it as a story of great passion and love. That love that comes from the very depths of the heart. When two people will stop at nothing to help the other one, when united by a common goal. I believe that fate has connected us, Link, though our common mission of saving Hyrule. I believe strongly in fate, but I believe in my heart even stronger. And in my heart I feel… I feel as though a strong, unbreakable bond is forming. A bond that is held together by… love."

Link nodded slowly, and the words immediately came to him. "Yes," he said. "I've been wanting to tell you how I feel since that day we spoke on Hyrule Field. When you said that I was what you had been hoping for. And when I looked into your eye, that was when… when I…"

"Fell in love?" Sheik asked, complete understanding showing on her face. "Well, then I suppose I beat you to it, because I had been falling in love with you ever since we met in near the Forest Temple. When I saw a tear fall from your eye over your friend. At that moment, I knew that you were more than just the Hero of Time. I knew that you had a heart similar to mine. One with weaknesses and fears, with pain and sorrow. And there are so many other reasons why I feel the way I do about you: your unbreakable spirit, you unrelenting determination, your courage. You are the one who is wonderful, Link. I am simply a being of shadows, but you are a hero full of light."

"No," he said, taking her hands into his own. They were surprisingly much softer and more delicate than he had expected them to be. "You are so much more than that, Sheik. You are beautiful, smart, kind, and incredible. From the moment I first saw, I craved to know more about you. Because… in the simplest way I know how to tell you this… I love you."

"I love you too," Sheik said, stepping even closer to him until their faces were only a few inches apart.

"So what now?" Link asked, as he watched the reflection of the candlelight lighting the room bounce in Sheik's rose-red eye.

Sheik closed her eyes, and looked to the floor. "Close your eyes," she whispered. She made sure Link did so, and then, for the first time in ages it seemed, she hesitantly lowered her face coverings, letting her whole face show. She looked up at Link, who still had his eyes closed and his face in an expectant expression. Taking in a deep breath, Sheik leaned towards him and gently placed her lips against his. Taking in his comfortable warmth, she wrapped her arms around him and held on tight.

Link almost opened his eyes when he felt her kissing him. It was the first time he had ever been kissed, save for a small one on the cheek given to him by Zelda years ago for luck when she set him out on his journey. Yet this kiss was a passionate one, full of mature love and true romance. At first, he had no idea how to feel, but as the fleeting seconds passed he came to the conclusion that he never wanted it to end. He returned Sheik's embrace and let the soothing peace that Sheik's soft lips gave him run through his body.

In that one, beautiful, incredible, perfect moment, the two of them let the world around them fade into nothing. They were the only thing that was. For a moment, they left behind the world of darkness they had both been trapped in dissolved. There was no Hyrule, no Ganondorf, no sages. Only Link and Sheik. And in that moment, they both dreamed that it would never end.


	13. Light

**_Sooooo sorry it took forever for this chapter to appear but, please, enjoy!_  
><strong>

**Chapter 13: Light**

The couple remained in each other's embrace for a while, letting the pure passion of the moment flow freely. Sheik, feeling a sense of being return to her, tried to pull away, though not really wanting to, when Link unexpectedly pulled her right back in, capturing her once again in the glow of his warmth.

As much as they would have both loved to remain in this state of perfect union forever, without any distractions or disruptions, eventually their kiss ended and they began to pull away from one another. When Link opened his eyes, he found that Sheik had already recovered her face, hiding away those gentle lips once more. How he longed to see them, and her whole face, to see what the rest of her features looked like paired with those incredible crimson eyes!

So once more, the two of them found themselves within the cold stone walls of the Temple of Time, the warmth that had been created by their kiss slowly fading away from the area. What replaced it, was an intense realization of what had just occurred there. The Hero of Time and the survivor of the Sheikahs silently stood there, passionately gazing into each other's eyes, and wondering what was next.

They remained in the quiet stillness of the temple for what seemed like an eternity, until without warning and almost without a sound, Sheik began to back away from Link. Her eyes wide with wonder and sudden fear, she slowly pulled out a Deku Nut, preparing to take her leave.

Link was immediately pulled out of the trance that her eyes had held him in when he noticed this. He knew that if she left, the feeling that he had inside him would disappear with her. Panicking, he called out, his voice echoing through the halls of the temple. "Sheik!" he called as her eyes grew even wider. "Wait!" He ran towards her to try and stop her, but before he even came close, she threw the Deku Nut to the floor, vanishing on the breath of its explosion and once again leaving him alone.

A bitter loneliness came over Link, yet at the same time a feeling of hope and excitement. All this time, they had both felt the same about one another. Sheik had made it very clear. And now more than ever, Link wanted more than anything else to be by her side. Yet like the wind, she was inconstant, appearing only on her own terms. Hers was a heart full of secrets. The only thing Link was absolutely sure of about her now of their mutual feelings for one another.

The hero stood there for a few moments more, as the first rays of dawn began to glisten through the lone window of the Temple of Time. His mind began to turn for Sheik and back to his destined task: to awaken the sages. A sudden feeling of shame welled up within him as he realized that he had let himself be so easily distracted. All of Hyrule was counting on him, and yet he had given into his own desires. Yet he did not regret what had just occurred. Rather, as he set out of from the temple to look for the next sage, he felt empowered, a new sense of strength and resolve running through him. For Link knew that not only was the entire kingdom of Hyrule depending on him to liberate them, but so was Sheik.

* * *

><p>Sheik, standing within the shadows, watched as Link left the temple, her heart racing all the while. What had they done? What had <em>she<em> done? Thanks to her, Link would be in even more danger than before. She could only hope that none of Ganondorf's minions had been hiding in the dark corners of the temple, watching what had just taken place. _No_, she assured herself, _I couldn't feel anyone else there but us…_ She slipped out of the temple just in time to see Link leave Castle Town. _Do you know? _She sent her thoughts to him as she watched the man she loved as he gallantly rode his horse across Hyrule Field in the opening rays of dawn. _Do you have any idea about how much danger we're in? _Though she held no regret for what had happened, she did harbor fear over its consequences. She knew well, that there very soon come a time when she would be forced to reveal everything, all of the secrets she had been hiding, to him. Yet she was glad that how she felt would no longer be a secret. At least not to him. Still savoring the feeling of his warmth that had filled her, she longed for more soon, as she left Castle Town as well.

* * *

><p>As Link rode Epona through Hyrule Field in the freshness of the morning day, something lingered in the back of his mind, clearly bothering him. Zelda. Since his return, Zelda had only been mentioned to him twice: once by Sheik and once by Ruto. All he knew was that she was alive and had been seen in Hyrule fairly recently, but he had no idea where she could be or how she was. Yet even beyond that, what troubled him most of all was his feelings for the princess. They had both only been children when they had first met, but even upon that first meeting, Link could easily tell that Zelda was one of the kindest, prettiest and most respectable people he had ever met. Yet whatever he had felt for her was stemmed in childhood innocence. His love for Sheik was mature, strong and passionate, unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was as Sheik had said, "<em>Young love will turn to deep affection…"<em> Certainly this poetic notion had come true for the Hero of Time. But of course, he still saw it as his duty to find the princess, even though he had no idea where to start.

* * *

><p>Sheik, still hidden within the realm of shadows, entered Kakariko Village to wait for Link, a sense of fear mingling with longing and joy inside of her. The young Sheikah watched the afternoon sun bare across the peaceful village that had grown larger over the course of the past seven years due to most of the former residents of Castle Town fleeing there when Ganondorf took over. Sheik briskly walked over to the well within the village's center, scanning the dark waters within it. She shivered though it was quite warm out, due to the dark secret that the well had hidden within it.<p>

"What are you doing here?" A familiar voice called out to Sheik. Though normally no one could see her hiding in the shadows, there was one who could. The very person who had taught her how to do it long ago.

"Impa…" Sheik relaxed as she saw the older Sheikah woman approach her. Impa had been Princess Zelda's nursemaid, part of a long line of Sheikahs who had been charged by the goddesses with protecting the princesses of Hyrule.

A clever smile crossed Impa's face. "You have met with the hero haven't you?"

As much as she tried to hide it, Sheik felt her cheeks grow red. "I have…" she said softly.

Impa laughed lightly. "I can see that you have been doing more than simply aiding him in his quest, am I correct?"

"I-I…" Sheik stammered nervously, much to Impa's amusement. "Are you mad?"

Impa shook her head and placed a hand on Sheik's shoulder. "No," she said warmly. "I could tell from the first time that the two of you met. The look in both of your eyes said it clearly."

Sheik smiled under her face coverings. "I… I'm afraid…" she confessed quietly.

"Of what my dear?" Impa asked kindly.

"When I tell him…" Sheik said. "What will he think?"

"I'm sure that his feelings will not change," Impa said. "The hero is strong, but he has a kind heart, yes?" Sheik nodded. "Then I am sure he will understand."

"Thank you, Impa," Sheik said, reassured.

Suddenly, Impa's face turned grave as she looked towards the black water within the well. "Do you feel that?" she said, her features hardening.

Sheik stood still for a moment, and indeed she began to feel a sense of darkness surrounding them. "I do," she replied. "Is that-?"

"I fear that it is…" Impa said. Suddenly the water contained in the well disappeared and the ground shook violently.

"Get back!" Impa motioned to Sheik as the older woman pulled a small blade out and readied herself for battle.

"I don't see anything!" Sheik said, looking all over.

"It hides itself well…" Impa said quietly. "Listen to me," she said, turning to Sheik. "Wait here for the hero and when he arrives send him to the Shadow Temple. I will be there waiting for him."

Sheik nodded. "I will."

"And… Sheik…" Impa said somewhat hesitantly. "Be careful…" With one last glance at the younger Sheikah, Impa, the Sage of Shadow, dashed towards the Temple located in Kakariko graveyard. Sheik's eyes turned towards the village gate, carefully watching for the Hero of Time, _her _hero, to arrive once more.


	14. Nocturne

**Chapter 14: Nocturne**

Sheik cursed quietly as she helplessly watched yet another house in Kakariko village burst into flames, the screams of several innocents erupting with it. If one she could see the evil spirit that had been sealed inside of the well for so long, then maybe she would have a better chance of warding it off, but for the moment, the only thing she could do was wait for Link to arrive.

And so she simply stood before the well that had once imprisoned the invisible beast, looking into its dark and empty depths. Long ago, Impa had sealed away a great evil within the well using her powers as the Sage of Shadow, but for reasons unknown to Sheik, the monster had escaped from its prison to wreak havoc on the world once more. She could only guess that it was a result of Ganondorf's dark regime; the darkness flooding Hyrule was feeding the spirit until it found the power to break its long-protected seal.

Aside from the onslaught of evil facing the village, Sheik was worried about Impa. Though the Sheikah guardian was strong, much stronger than Sheik in fact, would Impa be able to fight the monster without any help? That thought gave Sheik yet another reason to wait on baited breath for Link's arrival.

* * *

><p>Link could clearly see the smoke rising from Kakariko as he rode Epona through Hyrule Field. As he neared it even more, he could see the flames begin to rise from the burning buildings.<p>

"What's going on there?!" Navi flittered around the hero's head as they approached the steps to the village.

"I don't know…" Link said, ready to grab the hilt of the Master Sword on a moment's notice. "But let's go check it out."

The minute Link step foot into the village, Sheik could sense him, even though her back was turned away from the village gate. Her heart leaped with hope, excitement and other emotions when she heard him call out to her from afar.

Likewise upon seeing her, Link grew feverously excited. Though the village was burning around him, he found himself smiling as he approached her. "Sheik!" he called to her back, though she would not turn to face him. "Sheik?"

Sheik was suddenly able to sense the darkness of the spirit in full force, and that it was poised to attack. She knew exactly what it was trying to do: it wanted to attack the Hero of Time, who was unknowingly walking right into its range. Sheik's eyes grew wide as she whipped around just in time to see Link approaching her. "Link!" She fearfully cried out, knowing that the hidden monster was going to strike at any moment. "Watch out!"

Suddenly, an ear-splitting noise erupted from the well, causing Link to back up in surprise as Sheik focused her attention back on the well. Unbeknownst to her, its target had changed and before Sheik could even react, the beast had lifted her off the ground and was swirling her around in the air.

"Sheik!" Link shouted, not knowing what was going on as he helplessly watched her being flung around.

The invisible beast whipped her around one last time before slamming her to the ground hard, the impact knocking the wind out of her, but luckily not knocking her unconscious. She had managed to sustain no real injuries from the encounter, only experiencing a sharp pain in her ribs and a small pain in her neck.

Link immediately ran to her side, his face showing deep concern. Sheik let out a small groan as Link knelt down beside her. "Are you OK?" he asked, grasping her hand tightly.

Sheik looked up at him, trying not to show any pain in her eyes. "I'm fine…" she said breathing heavily as she noticed that rain was starting to pour down from the blackened skies above. "Link… please-" She was cut short by the screeching noise of the beast echoing once more.

Out of the corner of his eye, Link could see it. It was burrowed in the ground, giving it the appearance of a dark shadow almost as it rushed towards the two of them. With a fierce look on his face, Link rose to his feet and pulled the Master Sword out, ready to take the beast head on.

"Link!" Sheik cried out with as much strength as she could. "Don't!"

But already it was too late. Sheik watched helplessly from her place on the cold wet ground as the creature attacked him, lifting him off the ground much like it had done to her. However the monster's attack was much more viscous this time around. Taking full advantage that the Hero of Time was at its mercy, the vile monster tossed Link around like a play thing, finally ending the assault by hurling Link to the ground with an incredible force, knocking him unconscious. "Link!" Sheik cried in great fear when the hero's limp body landed only a few feet away from her.

Watching the form of the beast writhe around from its hiding place underground, Sheik braced herself for another attack, hoping that it was done with Link and would go after her instead. But it didn't go after either of them. Instead it retreated in the direction of the Shadow Temple, located in Kakariko Village's graveyard.

Breathing in a sigh of relief that the creature was gone, Sheik looked worryingly over at Link, who was quietly moaning in pain as he lay there unconscious.

* * *

><p>The cryptic notes of Zelda's Lullaby echoed through Link's mind, running their course almost hauntingly. However instead of being played on an ocarina like Link was used to hearing the song, the hallow notes were being plucked out on a harp. Sheik's harp. The hero couldn't open his eyes. In fact, he didn't really want to. He just wanted to drift away into the darkness of his stupor, forever listening to the erriee melody echoing around him.<p>

However, all too soon, a voice interrupted the music, one that sounded familiar to him, but one that he had not heard in a long time. "Link…" Zelda's soft voice whispered. "I… I will see you soon…"

"Zelda…" Link muttered softly, unable to see her or anything else really.

"Link," A different voice called out to him, one that Link immediately recognized. "Wake up…"

The first thing Link saw when he opened his eyes was the deep scarlet hue of Sheik's eyes. He weakly reached a hand up to touch her face, but she pushed it away. "Looks like you're coming around…" she said tentatively. "Can you hear me, Link?"

He nodded, unable to speak due to the deep pain he felt in his stomach from his earlier collision with the ground. Aside from that however, he had no real physical injury, as Sheik had made sure of. The only other injury he had sustained was a slight concussion, which caused the entire world to appear hazy and distant to him for a brief while.

Attempting to grasp onto something sustainable, Link reached for Sheik's face again, and this time, she did not stop him. She let him stroke her cheek gently, taking care that he would not accidently knock her face coverings off. Sheik closed her eyes and placed her hand over his, taking in its warmth. For a moment, they both just sat there, grasping onto each other's hands, until Link finally felt the strength to sit up. He did so slowly and groaning uncomfortably as he inched his way to a sitting position. "Careful…" Sheik quietly cautioned as she let him use both of her hands for leverage.

Looking into each other's eyes once more, they both sighed and gently embraced one another, hoping to ease their physical pain with the healing comfort of each other's arms. After several minutes of holding each other in a warm embrace, Sheik whispered in Link's ear, "I'm so glad that you're all right…"

Indeed she was. If something were to happen to him, it would be more to her than a matter of losing the Hero of Time and Hyrule being plunged into eternal darkness. It would be a personal loss for her. For she knew that she could not survive without his light to give her hope and his warmth to calm and comfort her.

Finally letting each other go, Sheik rose to her feet and looked towards the graveyard. "S-Sheik…" Link groaned, still in obvious pain. Immediately regretting standing, she lowered herself to his level once more.

"Listen Link," she said, a seriousness showing heavily in her tone as she looked him straight in the eye. "Something terrible has happened. The evil shadow spirit that has been long contained within the well had broken free from the well. That hidden beast is what attacked us. Impa, the leader of Kakariko Village, had sealed it away long ago, but because of Ganondorf's evil hold on Hyrule, it's seal weakened and it broke free into the world once more. Impa has gone to the Shadow Temple to try and seal it up again, but she will be in danger without any help! Link, Impa is one of the six sages! You must destroy the evil spirit and save Impa! You can get to the temple from the village graveyard. Do you understand?"

"Yes…" Link breathed heavily attempting to stand, but the pain still lingering strong stopped him.

Sheik looked at him sorrowfully. "Oh, I… I am sorry…" she said regretfully. "You aren't fully recovered yet… are you…?"

"No," Link said, trying to hide all traces of pain from his face. "I'm… fine…" he said through gritted teeth as he shakily rose to his feet.

"No you aren't," Sheik said, grasping his hand so he could support himself. "Link, please… don't push you're self too hard. I don't want anything to happen to you. I want you to rest here until you have fully recovered."

"I'm fine Sheik!" Link exclaimed harshly. Almost as immediately as he said them, he regretted the words and the way he had said them. He looked into Sheik's stunning red eyes, filled with both worry and sadness, as they were illuminated by the fires of the burning village and he felt them burning him all the way to his soul.

Sheik turned away from him. "Link…" she said, tinges of sadness hiding in her voice. "The only thing I can do for you is teach you the melody that will lead you to the Shadow Temple," she pulled out her harp once more and poised it to play. Link slowly pulled out the Ocarina of Time as he watched her every beautiful, graceful move. "This is the melody that will draw you into the infinite darkness that absorbs even time… Listen to this, the Nocturne of Shadow!"

Sheik proceeded to play a haunting melody, one that was tainted with darkness and mystery, yet managed to be alluring and lovely at the same time. Link perfectly repeated the song on the Ocarina, and the two of them played a melody the expressed not only the darkness that was facing all of Hyrule, but the darkness and sorrow that was corrupting their own love that had been full of light only the previous night before.

After the duet was over, Link gently placed a hand on Sheik's shoulder. She did not turn to face him, but simply closed her eyes. "Sheik…" he began, his tone full of remorse. "I-I'm sorry… I just… I…" he trailed off, his mind still somewhat in a daze.

"Link…" Sheik said, finally turning to face him, tears almost ready to emerge from her eyes. "I can't bear the thought of seeing you hurt again… I know that you are a hero… but I… to me you are so much more than that… please… go on and save Impa, but promise me this… that you be careful…please?"

Link smiled softly and nodded. "I promise…" he said. He slowly leaned in and brushing some of her dark blonde hair aside, gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. She smiled under her face coverings and held both of his hands in her own. "I love you, Sheik…" he said quietly.

"I love you too…" she said warmly. "Now hurry before it is too late! I'll take care of the village, you get to the temple!"

"Right," Link replied, already starting to feel strength returning to him. He turned to leave in the direction of the graveyard when Sheik called out to him one last time.

"And Link!" she shouted after him. "I'm counting on you! And I promise, that I'll see you again very soon!"


	15. Shadow

**Chapter 15: Shadow**

Sheik, not at all listening to the arguments being tossed about around her, stood once again, in another meeting of Ganondorf's followers. She had been paying very little attention to anything that had been said, and if she had been asked to give her opinion on something, she would have most likely been at a loss over what to say. The only thing she could think of was how Link's deep blue, pure eyes shone when he had gotten angry with her. Of how incredible and passionate they were, how incredible he was…

"Sheik!" Ganondorf's angry shout called her out from her thoughts.

"Y-yes, Lord Ganondorf?" she replied, somewhat startled.

"How did the shadow spirit manage to fail to kill that bothersome hero?!" the evil king asked, his face red with fury.

"The hero is strong…" Sheik said, trying to maintain a position of calmness. "And he grows ever stronger with each sage he awakens."

Nabooru, glaring at Sheik, suddenly came up with a way to trap her Sheikah rival. "You seem to think highly of the hero, don't you Sheik?" the Gerudo asked, a cunning grin on her face. "It's almost as if… you admire him from afar…"

Inside, Sheik grew nervous, thinking that surely her secret had been compromised. "W-what are you talking about?!" Sheik felt her face grow hot. "I-I serve Lord Ganondorf and follow his whims only. His enemy is my enemy, including that wretched Hero of Time!" Of course, in her heart, Sheik meant no such thing. Though she knew well where her loyalty truly lied, she couldn't help feeling guilty upon calling the very man she loved wretched.

"Oh really?" Nabooru pressed on, though she actually didn't know as much about the situation as she led everyone, including Sheik, to believe. "Then prove it. Us Gerudo are going to launch a little surprise attack on him when he goes to the desert to search for the next sage. Why don't you join us, Sheik and show him just how much you despise him?"

Sheik closed her eyes in frustration. Did she really have much of a choice? However, a plan was already forming in the crafty Sheikah's head as the meeting finally came to a close. A plan that would change everything…

* * *

><p>Link had managed to fight his way through the dark, sadistic creaturesof the Shadow Temple, using the evil banishing light of the Master Sword. The hero had managed to finally make it to the shadow spirit that had attacked him and Sheik earlier and with a strong vengeance coursing through him, he finally took the beast down once and for all.<p>

Once again, Link found himself within the Chamber of the Sages and sure enough, Impa the Sage of Shadow was there waiting for him.

The Sheikah guardian looked the young hero over. "The boy with noble Zelda's ocarina…" she said thoughtfully. "As I expected you have come. You may remember me as Impa, one of the Sheikah, but also as Princess Zelda's caretaker and the sage who has long guarded the Shadow Temple. For generations, my tribe has been serving the royal family of Hyrule faithfully."

"Impa," Link suddenly interrupted her. "Do you know how Zelda is? Or where she is?"

Impa smiled gravely as she continued. "Yes… On that day seven years ago, Ganondorf suddenly attacked and the castle surrendered after a short time. As you know, he wanted to get his hands on one of the keys to the Sacred Realm, the Ocarina of Time… My duty bound me to take the young princess Zelda far out of Ganondorf's wicked reach. When we saw you as we were escaping the castle, you were just a lad… But now I see that you have become quite a fine hero!" Impa smiled proudly. "There is no need to worry… The princess is safe. I am quite certain that you will meet her face-to-face very soon. At that time, she will fully explain everything. On the day that you will reunite with her… that will be the day when we, the six sages, will aid you by sealing away Ganondorf and returning peace to Hyrule!"

Link nodded, his mind at ease at the confirmation of Zelda's safety. "I must remain here…" Impa said, somewhat regretfully. "Please… when you find Princess Zelda, watch over her and protect her. Now, I add my power to yours!" She gave Link the Shadow Medallion, sending him back into the land of Hyrule as she called out, "The princess is not as far away as you think!"

* * *

><p>Sheik watched from the shadows of Kakariko as Link left the village to search for the last sage. Well, not the <em>very <em>last one, but the hero would discover this in due time. She treaded on dangerous ground now, as she wondered how much longer she could keep control over the situation. At that moment she decided to give all her efforts, all her strength and all her power into keeping him safe. No longer did she care about the possible persecution she could face. The thing that brought the most fear and anguish to her heart was possibility of seeing Link hurt, something that she was not about to let happen again.

But her plan… So well thought out and so well crafted, seemed to be pushing her towards that very act, even if it was to keep him safe. Sheik suddenly began to feel tangled in a web of lies across every plane. There were the lies that were arbitrary and of little thought to her, such as her false loyalty to Ganondorf, something that she could diminish on a moment's notice if push came to shove. But then there were all of the lies she had told to Link… a list that was about to grow even longer in accordance with her plan.

_How could someone as pure as him love someone as deceptive and dishonest as me? _Sheik thought bitterly as the moon began to vanish from the starless and dreary night sky. _Will he ever be able to forgive me for what I am about to do to him? For the pain I am about to cause him?_ _Will he ever be able to look at me in the same way again? Will he still feel the same way about me after I break his heart into a million pieces?_

_**So yeah, whatever, sorry this chapter is so short and uneventful... (Isn't writer's block great?) But i can promise you, dear readers, that the next few chapters (our building climax) will be so intense and epic that they will blow your face off! Until next time!**  
><em>


	16. Requiem

**Chapter 16: Requiem**

Gerudo Desert. Where the sun bore down, hot and heavy, scorching the already dry earth. Where the Gerudo Thieves hid, thriving in their lawlessness. Where Link had learned that the final sage could be found. And where the tale of the Hero of Time and the Survivor of the Sheikahs was to come to a tragic height…

Link rode into the entrance to the desert valley, sweat already forming on his brow from the heart of the late morning sun. Sheik, likewise, was trailing him from her constant hiding place in the shadows, keeping a careful watch over him and waiting for the most opportune time to appear.

She dreaded it, however. With all her heart she wanted to have no more parts of any of it and drop her plan completely, and just reveal everything to him right then and there. But for his sake, she knew she couldn't. And so, just as the hero had passed into the vast, opening expanse of the valley, the Haunted Wasteland as most people called it, Sheik appeared to Link just as a swift breeze began to blow the sand across the desert floor.

Link instantly smiled when he saw her, and rode towards her quickly. "Link…" the Sheikah woman said in somewhat of a melancholy. "We meet yet again… We now stand in the vast wasteland of the desert, where many have been rumored to enter and never return from its haunted depths. Yet beyond this expanse, lies the fortress of the Gerudo Thieves, and even further past the fortress is the Desert Colossus, which houses the Spirit Temple, where you can awaken the Sage of Spirit. I would like to impart to you one last melody… One that will lead you back to the desert, the Requiem of Spirit!"

Taking her cryptic harp out yet again, Sheik played a moody and sorrowful piece, which Link skillfully copied on the ocarina. Though the tune was mournful, it held small traces of hope within it as it carried across the desert on the warm wind's breath.

After the final song was learned, Sheik stepped closer to Link, looked around cautiously and whispered to him, "Listen Link," she said, glancing from side to side and checking the blank, empty gulf of golden sand. "You must take care to be extremely careful here. The Gerudos who work for Ganondorf often lurk in the desert, ready to attack anyone who enters it…" Sheik stopped for a moment, almost ready to warn him of the impending, but deciding against it.

"I will be," Link said, taking her hand. "Thanks Sheik." His warm smile, made her sigh longingly. She loathed herself for what she knew she had to do, but there was no other way that she could see. Yet for the moment, she could cling onto these last few hours of innocence between them, and savor each one.

"Would you… like me to guide you through the desert…?" Sheik asked, looking into his deep blue eyes as she felt guilty knots begin to form in her stomach. "The desert is wide, but I believe we can make it to the Spirit Temple by tomorrow morning…"

Link's eyes sparkled in the sunlight at the suggestion. "Yes," he nodded without hesitation. "I would. Thank you…"

"You're welcome…" Sheik said emptily as they began to cross the expanse, Link riding on Epona and Sheik opting to walk. He very presence at her side caused her to feel his tender warmth course through her body, and she hoped that it could reach her icy heart and melt it before it was too late.

And so the two of them traveled in silence through the desert, a hot, harsh wind whipping sand in every direction. Sheik's red eyes scanned the desert for any signs of life other than them, but finding none. She was tense, her mind wrapped in deep thought. She almost leaped out of her skin when Link broke the silence that had been between them for the past several hours. "Hey Sheik?" he asked somewhat casually. "I've been wondering… Why do you always cover your face?"

_No, _Sheik thought, avoiding his questioning gaze. _I can't tell him yet… _In her heart however, she wanted nothing more than to throw her face coverings off right then and there, and reveal everything to him, finally releasing her darkened conscious and lifting the great weight off her shoulders. But how could she explain to him why she had hidden her face away from the world for the past seven years? How would she tell Link, whose pure heart certainly harbored no dark secrets and who had given her his unrelenting trust, that she had been lying to him this whole time?

Getting no response for Sheik, Link quickly changed the subject. "…Um, never mind…" he said a bit awkwardly. "But what does that eye symbol mean?" he asked, referring to the red eye with a tear hanging down from it that Sheik bore on her clothing.

Sheik could tell that Link wanted to converse, and who was she to deny him of that much? "It is the symbol of my people," Sheik began, finally looking towards him. "There was a time when it was only the eye, long ago. Since the foundation of Hyrule, the Sheikah have served as loyal guardians to the royal family. However, everything changed in a single instance of betrayal in the royal family against our tribe. Many of us were persecuted and killed by the very ones we had been sworn to protect. In the end, our people made amends with the royal family, but we became a divided tribe. Most Sheikah remained loyal to them, but there was a fraction that carried on a strong hatred for the royal family long after the betrayal. Ours is quite a sad and tragic history…" Sheik trailed off, looking into the rays of the already setting sun. "It's getting late. We should set up a camp for the night."

Link pondered on what Sheik had just told him as the two of them set up a makeshift camp and built a small fire. They watched as the last rays of the golden sun vanished into the distance and the stars began to twinkle in the heavens.

Taking in the inspiration of the lovely evening, Sheik pulled her harp out and began to strum an arid tune that filled the desert with music. She looked over at Link, who was listening contentedly as he poked the warmly glowing fire with a stick absentmindedly. She sighed, trying to capture the moment of peace, for she knew that chances were that by tomorrow this would all be just a distant memory.

Sheik put the harp away, not wanting to hear music echoing around them any longer and began to stare deeply into the orange flames of the fire.

Suddenly, a thought entered Link's head, which he hesitantly relayed to Sheik. "Sheik?" he asked, looking at her sitting across from him. "What happens after we defeat Ganondorf?"

Sheik looked at him curiously, caught by surprise by the question. Indeed, what would happen? Of course, it was Sheik's plan to tell him everything by that point, but what would come after that? "I suppose Hyrule will finally be free," she said nonchalantly, though she knew that was not what he had meant by the question.

"No," Link pressed on further. "I mean what will happen to… us…?"

Sheik sighed wearily. She knew the true question he was trying to ask? Would their bond last? Would they meet again, even after Hyrule would be free from its bondage? She didn't know how to give him a clear answer, and perhaps she never would be. But for the moment, she simply said, "I do not know…"

Link sighed and looked at her, loveliness radiating from every part of her being. Suddenly, an unspoken fear began to develop inside of him: what if he would never see Sheik again after Ganondorf's defeat? He couldn't bear to part with her forever. But certainly, she felt the same way as he did, so why would she leave? Then of course, was the matter of Zelda. If what Impa had said was true, then certainly Link would be meeting the princess very soon. How would both of them coexist in his life, if he couldn't even place them together at the same time in his mind? There was no question that he cared for Zelda, but at the same time, he loved Sheik. As the thoughts burned within him, he took the Ocarina of Time out, hoping that playing it would soothe his restless soul.

But of course, the only song that came to his mind was Zelda's Lullaby. It seemed that no matter how hard he tried, he could no escape from that melody, with its beautiful, but haunting notes, and memories of the princess flowing with its rich sound. He closed his eyes and hesitantly began to play it, remembering each lovely note perfectly.

Sheik watched him as he played the ocarina, the glow of the fire illuminating her eyes. The tune he was playing registered in her mind and memories of the past filled her. She closed her eyes and let herself drift away to the sweet lullaby, hanging wistfully onto each note, and for a moment, she dreamed as if none of this had ever happened. That she was a child again, carefree and happy. That she was back in her warm and loving home, never knowing the agony that she had experienced over the past seven years. And perhaps the sweetest thought that her mind gave her was the image of her and Link, spending the rest of their lives together, happy and in a free Hyrule. The blissful dream that she knew could never come true brought tears to her eyes, and she did not try to stop them.

"Sheik!" Link's voice called Sheik out from the joyous realm of her dreams, bringing her back to reality. "Are you OK? You're crying!"

Sheik quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm fine," she said somewhat bitterly. "I'm fine…"

"Are you cold?" Link asked, his face full of concern. The chill of night had made the desert quite cold as frigid breezes blew this way and that.

"…Yes…" Sheik said quietly, a shiver running down her spine. "I think I am…"

Link smiled gently and opened his arms out to her. She moved close to him and fell into his warm embrace, tears still gently streaming down her face. Sheik smiled calmly as she buried her head into his chest, and wept softly. She cried for them, and nothing more. For how he loved her, and how, considering what she was about to do to him, how little she must have cared about him. In the depths of her heart, she loved him more than anything else, and bitterly hated herself for it all. For lying, for leading him on, and for the fact that he had gone through so much, for her…

Link, on the other hand was the happiest he had been in a long time. A smile lit up his features as he sat there, holding the woman he loved tenderly. _This… _he thought as he held her smooth, delicate hand. _Must be what true love feels like…_ It was a feeling that made him glow, inside and out, and he never wanted it to end. "Sheik…?" he whispered gently to her.

Sheik looked into his face longingly, sadness glimmering in her tearful scarlet eyes. "Yes Link…?" she said softly and mournfully.

"I love you."

Sheik looked away from him. She couldn't bear those admiring blue eyes bearing on her any longer. "I… I know…" was all she could manage to say under the weight of her breaking heart.

The two of them eventually fell asleep, still in each other's arms under the peaceful glowing stars. While Link's sleep was filled with hopeful and light dreams, Sheik was haunted by dark and abysmal nightmares the entire night. Sheik believed that it was only appropriate, considering the evil act she was to commit the very next day…

Link awoke early the next morning, just as the sun was beginning to rise over the distant hills. Sheik was still lying at his side, resting peacefully. For a moment he just sat there, gazing at her and admiring her passionate beauty. He had no idea of the conflict and sorrow that was raging inside of her, when she gently opened her eyes and returned his soft gaze.

After a moment or two, they both got up and began to prepare for the rest of the journey. According to Sheik, the Spirit Temple was only a few hours away._ Another lie…_ Sheik thought to herself as they continued to traverse the desert. For she knew that they were not going to make it to the Spirit Temple. At least not as planned…

Sheik's heart sank when she began to feel the presence of other beings lingering in the desert. They were close and it was almost time. She looked towards Link, looking dashing and heroic as he sat on his horse. Already, she was trying to come up with her apologies to him.

Suddenly, in the distance far ahead of the pair, the sound of horse hooves erupted. Sheik, though ready, muttered obscenities under her breath. She watched, with an empty look in her eyes, as Link slid off Epona and strained his eyes to see what was heading towards them.

Gerudo warriors, a whole army of them, were racing towards the two of them on horseback. The weapons of the female thieves were already drawn, ready to slice their throats off. Shouting and sending threats towards them, the Gerudos quickly surrounded and circled the hero and the Sheikah, ready to fight.

"Sheik!" Link called out to Sheik as they stood back-to-back. He instinctively grabbed onto the hilt of the Master Sword. "Be careful!"

Sheik closed her eyes. It was the moment of choice. All eyes laid expectantly on her, watching to see what that choice would be. _I'm so sorry… _She thought bitterly when she finally reached her conclusion and reached for a hidden staff that she kept with her at all times.

Hearing no response for her, Link called out again. "Shei-!" He was cut off, mid shout as he felt something suddenly ram into the back of his head hard. The world grew out of focus as he collapsed to the ground in great pain from the strike. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her, standing over him, a heartless look in her dark red eyes, as she wielded a short metal staff at her side. "Sh-Sheik…" he muttered weakly as he finally realized what had happened. Her burning eyes remained soulless and she said nothing. The hero let out a moan of pain and sorrow as the world around him went black…

_**OH MY GOSH! DRAMA BOMB! How could Sheik betray Link like that? And is there any hope left for Hyrule? We're getting near the end now, so stay tuned! Until next time!**_


	17. Aftermath

**Oh what ages have passed since i worked on this story! I'm sooo sorry that its taken so long for me to update. Dat writer's block ya know! But, enjoy anyway, even though not much happens in this chapter, its filled with emotion and DRAMA! :D**

**Chapter 16: Aftermath**

The look of pain and betrayal that he held in his blue eyes before he drifted away haunted her. Sheik remained still as several of the Gerudos dismounted their horses and roughly took the unconscious hero into custody, mocking him and laughing at him. _What have I done…? _Sheik thought bitterly as she followed the group of Gerudos to their fortress on the far side of the desert, her eyes remaining on the limp body of fallen hero the entire time.

Sounds of elation echoed throughout the Gerudo hideout, as the wicked women celebrated the successful capture of the Hero of Time. Sheik watched them from the shadows, with a look of anguish and guilt on her face. She found no reason to celebrate. If anything, she wished to disappear and never return. To leave it all behind her. Well, not all of it. The guilt and shame of what she had done would follow her everywhere, never letting her be free.

Forgiveness would most likely not come easily. She didn't expect it really. After all, she had delivered Link into the hands of the enemy. She had led him into the middle of the desert, so he couldn't escape from them. It had been her own hand that had struck him down. She silently stood by while they took him away. Indeed, she was solely to blame. In that one moment of fear and passion, Sheik had managed to sever all the ties of trust and love that had been between them. If had been up to her, she would have fought the Gerudos at Link's side and no betrayal would have ever happened. But they would have both surely been taken down by the great force of the number of the warriors. _At least…_ Sheik thought as she slowly headed towards one of the chambers where the Gerudos kept their prisoners, _Hyrule still has a chance at redemption, even if I don't…_

* * *

><p>The Hero of Time looked up at the small window high above his head in the long shaft of a prison cell that the Gerudos had thrown him into. He was heartbroken to say the very least, that the woman he pledged his love to had betrayed him so easily. How could he have been so blind as to not what she truly was? All this time, Sheik had been working for his enemy. She had never truly cared for him; everything had been a clever ploy to deliver him into the hands of the Gerudos. But Link could only blame himself for his current circumstances. He had been a fool to trust her in the first place. And now, Hyrule would have to reap the consequences of his misguided affections.<p>

Sheik, who had just entered the shadows of the chamber, could tell by the look of silent displeasure on Link's face that her chances of being forgiven were slim, if there were any at all. But that was not the reason that Sheik was here. At least, she didn't think so. In truth, she didn't know exactly why she had come to see the imprisoned hero. She took no pleasure in seeing him chained to the wall of the shaft, his only means of escape several feet above his head; in fact, it made her feel even worse. But then, perhaps she had not come for any personal reason at all. Sheik knew that there was still one more sage left in need of awakening, and then Link would be ready to fight Ganondorf. She was coming at an opportune time, since no Gerudos stood by as they were all celebrating. And so, Sheik banished her feelings, and made her eyes and voice unreadable as she emerged from the shadows and stepped into the dim light of the shaft where Link could see her.

For a long time, neither one of them spoke a single word. Their eyes were locked as each tried to read the expression of the other. Sheik's tight focus almost buckled under the intense look of betrayal and hatred that filled Link's light blue eyes. Hatred intended for her. From the same eyes that had been full of only love for her the previous night. And through them, Link could see that Sheik's unfeeling, cold, blazing red eyes were as mysterious and alluring as they had been when the two of them had first met in the Temple of Time on that day that seemed like an eternity away now.

Link was the first one to break the thick silence of the chamber with a lone word. "Why?" he asked with a tone so full of hurt that it rattled Sheik to the core.

Sheik closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. "It is as I have often said," she said, her tone level and calm. "All will be revealed in due time."

"No," Link said, his anger starting to grow. "No more waiting. I need to know this _now_."

Sheik sighed as her calm manner began to waver. She tried to come up with a satisfying answer that could somehow repair what had been broken, but she simply couldn't find any. "I… I can't tell you…" she looked down sorrowfully.

"Just like you couldn't tell me that you worked for Ganondorf?" Link glared at her. "Or that you were only leading me on? Or that everything, even how you said you felt, was a lie?"

"That was no lie," Sheik returned his harsh look and stared piercingly at him. "When I told you that I loved you, I meant every single word."

Link looked away from her in disbelief. "Then why did you do this?" he asked bitterly. "If you love me so much, then _how _could you do this?"

Sheik bit her lip, almost on the verge of tears. She had no way of answering his question at the present moment. It still wasn't the opportune time for her to reveal her true intentions. So instead, she simply looked down once more and sighed remorsefully. "I… just can't tell you yet…" she said mournfully, knowing that she had lost his trust completely by now. "I want to… but…"

"It's not the right time?" the hero scoffed. "You always seem to have an excuse for everything, Sheik."

Sheik averted his burning gaze, her heart sinking in guilt. He was right. She had never been straightforward with him, but perhaps it was finally time for her to tell him some shred of truth. Her cheeks grew hot, as her emotions finally boiled over. "I did this to help you!" she said, almost shouting in desperation. "Everything I have done was to help you! You never would have been able to take on all of those Gerudos on your own, even if I had fought alongside you! I did this so you wouldn't get hurt!"

"Well it's too late for that!" Link hissed angrily.

"I… I…" Sheik hysterically fought to find words, her eyes already full of tears. "Fine…" she swallowed roughly. "You don't have to pardon me for what I've done. I deserve no such kindness. However, it matters little how we feel about each other at the moment. There is still one sage that needs awakening. The Spirit Temple is just past the fortress."

"So you captured me just to let me go?" Link asked accusingly.

"No," the Sheikah shook her head and spoke bluntly. "I'm not letting you go. I'm just giving you a head start."

She reached behind her back and pulled out the hero's hookshot that had been stolen from him along with the rest of his gear. She slid it across the floor for him to pick up. "You can figure out the rest," Sheik said emptily as she began to step back into the shadows. Link continued to stare at her with both wonder and discontent as she prepared to leave. "You may not want to hear this," she said, turning her back to him before she left him alone once more. "But, I will say it anyway. Link… I do love you… and I'll see you again…"

**I promise that a lot of climaxy stuff will happen next chapter! Until next time! :D**


	18. Spirit

**Chapter 18: Spirit**

Within minutes of Sheik's departure, Link had managed to use the hookshot to free himself from the chains and had used to grappling item to propel himself to the high windowsill of the cell. Looking out across the expansive fortress, he could see that the place was crawling with Gerudo guards, their celebrations now over as their returned to their posts. Sheik was nowhere in sight, but that didn't surprise Link; she didn't allow herself to be seen out in the open very often, and he didn't particularly care to see her at the moment anyway. The only thing that rivaled the strong distrust that he was feeling towards her was the confusion that he had over why she let him go. Why would she aid in his capture if she was just going to turn around and help him escape? Link was almost certain that, no matter what Sheik said, he would never know where her true loyalty lied.

Having been stripped of almost all of his items by the Gerudos except for the hookshot that Sheik had just returned to him, Link would be forced to rely on stealth, a tactic that he certainly wasn't used to, if he wanted to make it to the Spirit Temple. Unfortunately for the hero though, his cover was almost immediately blown. Before he even had a chance to leap down from the prison windowsill, a Gerudo, their second in command, Nabooru nonetheless, happened to enter the chamber to gloat at the Hero of Time, only to find it empty. Of course, it didn't take her more than a second to notice Link standing on the high windowsill, getting ready to jump down and head to the Spirit Temple.

"Hey!" the Gerudo leader shouted angrily. "He's escaped!" She called to her comrades that were swarming the grounds. "Stop him!"

Finding himself cornered on both sides, Link chose to jump towards the open yard of the fortress rather than back into the cell. Though there were more Gerudos waiting outside, he believed that he would have a better chance fighting them off out in the open rather than being confined to a small area, where several more could easily enter within a matter of seconds and overpower him.

However, upon landing amongst the Gerudo horde, he found that none of them even tried to attack him. Instead, they lined up on either side of him, seeming to make a pathway for someone. It was only after the last few Gerudos fell into the neat lines, that Link saw who this someone was.

Sheik stood a few feet away in the distance, at the end of the Gerudos' two lines. She began making her way slowly in his direction, and as she got closer, Link could see that she carried with her his Hylian Shield, the Master Sword, and the pouch that contained the rest of his items. Her eyes were still unreadable as they glistened ruby red in the hot afternoon sunshine as she silently strode his way. In fact, the only sound to be heard, even amongst the organized throng of Gerudos, was the whistling desert wind, filling the air with tension.

When Sheik was about two yards away from him when she abruptly halted and, in a single, graceful movement, threw all of the items that she carried down at Link's feet, while drawling out her own small knife-like blade. She still did not speak as she assumed a fighting stance against him, making it appear as though she was challenging the hero to a one on one duel, which would explain the Gerudos' single-file formation.

A feeling of betrayal hit Link once more, but he realized that he had no time to try and determine her strange motives. So he simply took up his sword and shield once more, and prepared to fight the very woman that, at one point, he had thought he loved, but now, he wasn't entirely certain how he felt about her.

The moment that Link picked up the Master Sword, Sheik decided to make her first move before he could even react. She lashed out, swiftly swinging her blade at him. However, she made sure that it never touched him. With wide eyes, the hero watched as her blade flashed towards him and time seemed to slow to a crawl. The knife cut through the air just inches away from his neck, narrowly missing it as Sheik spun in a full circle and pounded the opposite end of the weapon into the heads of two or three of the Gerudos that were still in their single file lines, knocking them to the ground

Complete and utter chaos and confusion erupted throughout the fortress as both the women warriors realized what had just occurred. "Traitor!" they viscously shouted at Sheik as they pounced on their former ally.

"Traitor?" Sheik scoffed as she took down several of the attacking Gerudos. "I was never on your side to begin with!"

Link stood for a moment or two, watching her fight with his jaw dropped in surprise and wonder as he realized that she had been right. All along, everything that she had done, including allying herself with Ganondorf, had been to further the goal of the Hero of Time. His heart leaped with newfound elation as he drew the Master Sword and joined the fight alongside Sheik.

"I never got to apologize for earlier!" Sheik called out to him amidst the melee.

Link grinned warmly at her. "Its fine!" he said, knowing that this time, Sheik was sincere. The obvious shock of the Gerudos was proof enough for him that Sheik had planned this righteous betrayal on her own, proving that her false alliance with Ganondorf was broken once and for all.

Sheik found herself smiling as well as the two fought side-by-side against their common enemies. She was finally free of one set of lies, though she was still guilty of another. But at the very least, she had regained his trust. And the time for her to reveal the full truth was drawing ever closer.

The two defended against the Gerudo horde, though with each one they took down, two more would take their place. But both Link and Sheik were skilled with a blade and they gradually and strategically moved the battle in the direction of the Desert Colossus, where the Spirit Temple was located.

For the most part, the two covered each other well, but at one point, Sheik found herself circled by a group of five Gerudos, all of which she was able to single-handedly dispatch. However, as she had been busy with them, she barely noticed out the corner of her eye that Nabooru herself was quickly advancing towards Link, who was distracted by several other Gerudos, from behind. Since his shield was strapped to his right arm, his backside was completely unprotected, leaving his wide open for Nabooru, already wielding a sharp blade of her own, to strike. Sheik's eyes widened her mind racing in the next fleeting seconds. Even if she were to call out to him and warn him, it would already be too late for him to turn around and react. But even if he wasn't fast enough to stop it, Sheik knew that she was.

Link stopped his sword mid-swing the second he heard Sheik's pained gasp coming from right behind him. Likewise, all of the Gerudos also froze in place, until with complete uniformity, they all collapsed to the ground together. Link paid this little mind though. Instead, he spun around, his heart racing violently, and was completely shocked by what he saw.

Sheik and Nabooru stood inches apart, both of their blades impaling the other in some way. Sheik's small blade had imbedded itself into the orange gemstone on Nabooru's forehead, which had shattered it. The Gerudo woman's eyes were wide and her mouth was agape in shock as she collapsed to the ground like her followers, even though the attack had not wounded her at all. But the hero was far more concerned with Nabooru's blade at the moment, which had deeply lodged itself into Sheik's side, where dark red blood was already steadily flowing from. Nonetheless, her crimson eyes were fierce and strong with passion, despite her mortal injury.

Sheik did not look down at her wound. Instead, she simply dropped her own, since it was no longer stabbing into Nabooru's forehead as she had fallen out of the way of the blade. Sheik slowly and tentatively reached her hand down to the knife that was still digging into her own flesh, causing her searing pain. As she touched it however, she felt another pair of hands over her own. Sheik glanced behind her at Link, who said nothing as he helped her carefully draw the knife out of her side. Tears began to well up in her eyes when she saw his grief-torn expression. He knew that she had just taken a blow that was meant for him. One that could very well kill her within a matter of time.

Sheik's strength began to falter and her legs grew weak as she began to collapse, only to be caught by Link. He knelt to the ground, gently holding her in his arms as he desperately tried to quell the flow of blood, but to no avail.

"Link…" Sheik groaned as she took one of his hands, now soaked with her own blood.

"Shh…" he quieted her gently, trying hard to remain calm. "You'll be fine..." he said consolingly, even though he wasn't entirely sure.

Sheik laughed roughly, much to Link's surprise. "You know," she said quietly, her red eyes almost glowing with bitter humor. "Of all of the lies that I have told you… I think that's the first lie you've ever told me…"

He knew what she meant, but he didn't have time to protest as the Gerudo were already rising from the desert floor once more. Link rose as well and stood protectively over Sheik, his sword already drawn to attack. But they did not assail either of them. Instead the Gerudos looked around, disoriented and confused, as if they had no idea what they had just been doing.

"Link," Sheik brushed his leg with her hand weakly. Her side was burning with pain and she could already feel her strength begin to waver, but she knew that she had to assist him still, in spite of that. "The Sage… The Gerudos were… brainwashed… all of them… by the Twinrova…" Pain lingered on her every word, but she spoke nonetheless, relaying this vital information to him. "I… destroyed the control gem… that was on Nabooru… their leader… but… you need to go… to the temple… hurry…" Sheik's hand fell as her words drifted away weakly. Though she was only half-conscious now, she could still see the look of extreme concern on Link's face as he glanced down at her. He knew that he had to help her, to do anything that he could to save her, but he had no clue as to where to start. At the moment, her welfare, above anything else, including awakening the sages, became his number one priority.

He was about to kneel down to her level once again and tell her this, but he was stopped by Nabooru, who had also been listening to what Sheik had just told him. "So that how it was, eh?" the Gerudo leader said, crossing her arms and scowling. "Did you hear that girls?" she asked her fellow Gerudos that had rallied around her. "Ganondorf and his cronies thought that they could use us any old way the pleased! Shows how much our supposed 'king' actually cares for us!" The Gerudos muttered amongst themselves in discontent for Ganondorf as Nabooru continued to speak. "But these two…" she gestured towards Link and Sheik. "It looks like we owe the two of them some gratitude for opening our eyes. We apologize for attacking you, Hero of Time. We're in your debt for helping us. Am I right ladies?" The Gerudos cheered in support and Nabooru grinned at the hero. "So, if there's anything you need kid, just ask," she glanced towards Sheik for a moment and then back to Link expectantly.

"Do you have anything that can help her?" Link asked, trying to hide his obvious desperation.

Nabooru sighed and shook her head. "Sorry, but no. When the Twinrova discovered that we had captured you, they stormed the fortress and destroyed anything that could be used for healing. They said that it would make it harder for you to get out of here alive."

Sheik suddenly groaned loudly at Link's feet and this time, the hero did not hesitate to kneel down close to her. "The… temple…" she said weakly. "Link… you need to… go to the… temple… now…please…"

"No," Link said firmly, taking one of her hands once more. "Not until I help you."

Sheik stared at him for a moment with distant eyes. "You… you must know…" Sheik started, but stopped herself, not wanting to see that look of sorrow in his eyes. The chances of her surviving this injury were low and she knew it. But she also knew how stubborn the hero was. Indeed, he would not go to the temple… unless it was to help her somehow… "I… I cannot explain everything… right now… but… if you go to the… temple… you will find… something… that can help…" Sheik knew she was lying to him once more, but this was certainly a necessary one. Only one sage remained and the circumstances were growing more dire with each passing moment.

"Alright," Link said, turning to Nabooru once more. "Where is the Spirit Temple?"

"It's at the Desert Colossus, right past here," she said. "I've sent a few of my follows to go get your horse. I can lead you there if you want, but be careful hero. The Twinrova hang out in there, ready to attack anyone who enters the place. If you want to have a chance at defeating them, then you'll need a way to reflect their own black magic on them." Nabooru smirked at him as she took a large bundle that one of the nearby Gerudo where holding. "Take this," she tossed the heavy bundle to Link. Inside the cloth, was a new, sturdy shield, with a reflective face that glistened in the bright sun. "It's the Mirror Shield. I stole it a while back, but I think you could use it more than me." She winked slyly at him as a few Gerudos arrived with Epona in tow.

* * *

><p>Within minutes Nabooru and Link had ridden to the Spirit Temple. Knowing time was of the essence, he had taken Sheik, who was now largely unconscious from the pain of her wound. For the entire ride to the Desert Colossus, Link had gently cradled Sheik's body with one arm and held onto Epona's reigns with the other as they raced towards the temple. Only a groan or two had escaped from her quiet, covered lips as they arrived, Link still carrying her, considering she didn't really weigh that much, as he and Nabooru entered the last temple.<p>

"The witches hideout is near the top…" Nabooru mused, looking around the entry hall of the ancient temple. "Luckily for you though, I used to stash my loot here, so I know a quick shortcut, but… It's pretty treacherous… Are you sure you want to take her along in that condition…?" She pointed at Sheik, still unconsciously slung across the hero's shoulder.

"I'm not leaving her behind," Link said firmly, knowing that if he did, there was a good chance that he would come back only to find her dead.

Nabooru shrugged as she began to lead the way. "Whatever you say…" she sighed as the group began making their way through the temple.

Indeed the Spirit Temple was quite large, but thanks to Nabooru's shortcut, the three of them managed to somehow cut the time it took to traverse it in half. All the while though, Link only had one thing on his mind and that was Sheik. He would do anything in his power to save her fleeting life, but he still harbored some fear that he wouldn't be able to. That he would be too late and he would lose her. He remembered back to the bitter words he had said to her back at the fortress and how, even if it was only for a brief time, he had replaced his love for her with hatred. It was then that he realized how foolish he had been. He should have trusted Sheik by her word from beginning to end. Maybe if he had, then perhaps she would not be mortally wounded at the moment. Link knew he was solely to blame for that though. It wasn't Nabooru's fault; after all, she had been brainwashed, not really in control of her actions. No, the reason why Sheik was on the verge of death at the moment was because she had taken the full force of a fatal attack that the hero should have received. She had sacrificed herself for him, the ultimate show of loyalty and love, only moments after he had accused her of betrayal. She had pled for forgiveness, and he had denied her. He had been ready to attack her simply because she had stridden towards him with a blade. And now, as Link carried the half-dead Sheikah through the Spirit Temple, he knew that he might never get the chance to truly reconcile with the woman who had chosen to stand by him, even at the cost of her own life.

**I just keep dragging this on and on, don't i? Well, i hope ya'll are enjoying this (ya'll?) Until next time!**


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